FIGURE 6.

Schematic depiction of pH effect on EPS structure. Note that Ξ is an average size of denser domains in polymeric networks. Dynamic correlation length, ξ, is a measure of distances between polymeric chains in the network. At around pH = 11, the EPS structure is compact and homogenous. Denser domains occur at lower pH. The distance between polymeric chains, ξ, has a maximum around pH = 8.8, where the EPS structure is most swollen. With decreasing pH (i.e., at pH = 0.7), the EPS structure is composed of denser domains and is less homogenous.