AtheoreticalinvestigationonthepH-inducedswitchingofmixedpolyelectrolytebrusheswasperformedbyusingamoleculartheory.TheresultsindicatethattheswitchingpropertiesofmixedpolyelectrolytebrushesaredependentonthepHvalues.AtlowpH,negativelychargedchainsadoptacompactconformationonthebottomofthebrushwhilepositivelychargedchainsarehighlystretchedawayfromthesurface.AthighpHvalues,theinversetransformationtakesplace.TheroleofpHdeterminingthepolymerchainsconformationandchargebehaviorofmixedpolyelectrolytebrusheswasanalyzed.Itisfoundthatthereexistsamechanismforreducingstrongelectrostaticrepulsions:stretchingofthechains.TheH+andOH-unitsplayamoreimportantroleascounterionsofthechargedpolymersdo.ThecollapseofthepolyelectrolytechainsfordifferentpHvaluescouldbeattributedtothescreeningoftheelectrostaticinteractionsandthecounterion-mediatedattractiveinteractionalongthechains.
