Poly (CAS No. 71550-12-4) is a cationic polyelectrolyte

Polyelectrolyte

Polyelectrolytes are polymers whose repeating units bear an electrolyte group. These groups will dissociate in aqueous solutions , making the polymers charged. Polyelectrolyte properties are thus similar to both electrolytes and polymers , and are sometimes called polysalts. Like salts, their...

 prepared by the polymerization of allylamine

Allylamine

Allylamine is an organic compound with the formula C3H5NH2. This colorless liquid is the simplest stable unsaturated amine.-Production:All three allylamines, mono-, di-, and triallylamine, are produced by the treating allyl chloride with ammonia followed by distillation. Pure samples can be...

. It can be used in combination with an anionic polyelectrolyte like poly(sodium styrene sulfonate) to form a layer-by-layer adsorbed film of negatively and positively charged polymers.
Poly(allylamine hydrochloride) has many biomedical applications. The most prominent use of this polyelectrolyte is in the field of cell encapsulation. A layer by layer method is used by alternating positively and negatively charged polyelectrolytes to build a barrier between the cell and the harsher outside environment. Upon cell lysis, the capsule of layered polyelectrolytes maintains its structural integrity and can be used for purposes such as drug delivery.