polyelectrolyte
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˌpɒliɪˈlɛktrəlaɪt/
- Specialized
- The polyelectrolyte in the experiment successfully dissolved in water and allowed ions to flow freely.
Examples
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In the lab, we discovered that the polyelectrolyte helped improve the conductivity of the solution.
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The researchers studied how the properties of the polyelectrolyte changed when exposed to different concentrations of salt.
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The book also explains methods for the characterization of the polyelectrolyte-modified nanoparticles.
Blog text (30) -
An evaluation was undertaken on the performance and cost of 23 different synthetic organic polyelectrolyte coagulation aids (polymers).
Academic text (1998)
How Charged
- Specialized
1
9.9
- Specialized
1
9.1
Surface Forms
Morphology
polyelectrolyte = electrolyte (semi-transparent) = poly + electrolyte
The word is transparently built with the productive prefix 'poly-', but the chemistry-specific meaning is not fully predictable from 'electrolyte' alone for an average learner.
Etymology
The word polyelectrolyte comes from poly- meaning 'many' and electro- + -lyte meaning 'electricity' and 'to dissolve'. So a polyelectrolyte is like a long chain with many charged parts that dissolve in water and can carry electricity.