Rational design of thermoresponsive polycations via the reversed Hofmeister series
Polymer, vol.366, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 366
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1016/j.polymer.2026.130742
- Journal Name: Polymer
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Chemical Abstracts Core, Chimica, Compendex, INSPEC, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Engineering Source (EBSCO)
- Yıldız Technical University Affiliated: No
Abstract
Ion-specific effects influence the solution behavior of charged macromolecules, yet there are few generalizations available for polycation systems. This contribution reports a homologous family of imidazolium-based polymers with systematically varied hydrophobicity that was used to probe anion-induced phase behavior in aqueous solution. A broad range of anions induces an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) type transition, following closely a reversed Hofmeister series. The ordering is preserved across the polymer family and is commonly reported in the literature. All polymers were derived from a single precursor, which enables direct comparison of ion-specific effects. The observed behavior is dominantly governed by anion hydration enthalpy, with secondary contributions from anion polarizability. The results – together with previous results from literature – establish a simple set of guidelines for designing new thermoresponsive systems.