Fig. 2: Oligoalanine chains cause crosslinking and salt-dependent aging.

Frequency sweep measurements of a GPB/pAA and b HP/pAA coacervates at 0.1, 0.4, and 0.6 M NaCl. c Temporal evolution of the storage modulus (G’) of GPB/pAA coacervates at different salt concentrations. d Temporal evolution of the storage modulus (G’) of HP/pAA coacervates at different salt concentrations. e Frequency sweep measurements of GPB/pAA, P-GPB/pAA, HP + NG-Ala/pAA, and HP/pAA, at a NaCl concentration of 0.1 M. The filled symbols representing the storage modulus (G’) and hollow symbols representing the loss modulus (G”). The pH was adjusted to 7 for all coacervates. All the measurements were performed with a constant strain of 1%, within the linear viscoelastic regime.