Local Chain Dynamics in Polyelectrolyte Multilayers of Chitosan and Spin‐Labeled Poly(ethylene‐ <i>alt</i> ‐maleic acid)

The cationic charged chitosan and the weak polyacid poly(ethylene-alt-maleic acid) are used to build polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs). To study rotational dynamics of polymer backbone in swollen state PEMs using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, a nitroxide spin-label is covalently attached polyacid. It found that spectra with even number layers show superposition two spectral components: major, slow-motion component, which arises from chain segments intrinsically compensated by protonated amino groups chitosan, minor, fast-motion assumed originate loops tails located at surface PEMs. dissociated acid extrinsically small counterions mobility these consequently much higher compared interacting oppositely chitosan.