Competing forces in the interaction of polyelectrolytes with charged interfaces

• Charge correlations can drive polyelectrolyte adsorption in like-charged surfaces.
• Correlations alone do not drive charge reversal in polyelectrolyte adsorption.
• Solvent induced and hydrogen bonding interactions are essential in charge reversal.
• Chemical interactions and electrostatic correlations are not independent.

In this review, we discuss the competition of non-DLVO forces in the adsorption of polyelectrolytes onto charged surfaces. We consider two particularly illustrative problems, namely the adsorption of polyelectrolytes onto similarly charged surfaces and the reversal of surface charge by adsorption of polyelectrolytes. Emphasis is made on how simulation results help to understand relevant experimental situations.

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