Polyelectrolytes are well-established polymeric materials, possessing high charge density along the chain. They have been applied in biomaterials, hydrogels, colloid stabilizers, solid electrolytes for fuel cells, and enhanced oil recovery. These applications can be potentially greatly expanded by producing polyelectrolyte-containing well-defined block copolymers. Such materials are generally made using a range of controlled radical polymerization methods, such as ATRP or RAFT.

However, the introduction of hydrophobic monomers in strong polyelectrolytes to produce amphiphilic block copolymers is challenging, due to the difficulty to find suitable solvents for both blocks. PISA (polymer-induced self-assembly) can be used directly in water, but it does not allow to produce well-controlled structures. The use of hydrophobic precursors, that can be further chemically modified to make them charged, is also possible, but it requires multiple reaction steps.