Deviations from a simple Debye relaxation in aqueous solutions of differently flexible polyions induced by polymer concentration

The electrical conductivity of aqueous solutions of differently flexible polymers has been measured in the frequency range from 1 MHz to 2 GHz. This note evidences how the shape parameter α of the conductivity relaxation associated with the orientational polarization of the aqueous phase depends on the polymer concentration and, moreover, reflects the different concentration regimes of the polymer solution (dilute, semidilute entangled and nonentangled, and concentrated regimes). The relevance of this dependence, as far as the microscopic environment of water molecules is concerned, is briefly discussed. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.