Monte Carlo simulations have been used to study two different models of a weak linear polyelectrolyte surrounded by explicit counterions and salt particles: (i) a rigid rod and (ii) a flexible chain. We focused on the influence of the pH, chain stiffness, salt concentration, and valency on the polyelectrolyte titration process and conformational properties. It is shown that chain acid–base properties and conformational properties are strongly modified when multivalent salt concentration variation ranges below the charge equivalence. Increasing chain stiffness allows to minimize intramolecular electrostatic monomer interactions hence improving the deprotonation process. The presence of di and trivalent salt cations clearly promotes the chain degree of ionization but has only a limited effect at very low salt concentration ranges. Moreover, folded structures of fully charged chains are only observed when multivalent salt at a concentration equal or above charge equivalence is considered. Long-range electrostatic potential is found to influence the distribution of charges along and around the polyelectrolyte backbones hence resulting in a higher degree of ionization and a lower attraction of counterions and salt particles at the chain extremities.

Monte Carlo simulations are used to describe the charging behavior of metal oxide nanoparticles thus enabling a novel and original approach to predict nanoparticle reactivity and the possible interactions with biological and environmental molecules. The charging behavior of spherical nanoparticles is investigated by adjusting the pH of the media and the influence of surface site distribution, density and dielectric constant as well as the acid/base properties of the surface sites and ΔpK⁰ _a values (difference between two successive deprotonation constants) is systematically studied using a grand canonical Monte Carlo method. A primitive Coulomb model is applied to describe the interaction energies between the explicit discrete sites. Homogeneous/heterogeneous surfaces and patches with homogeneous and heterogeneous distributions are considered in order to reproduce possible site distributions of metal oxide nanoparticles. Two models are used. In the 1-pK⁰ _a model (one deprotonation step) the results indicate that the deprotonation process is controlled by inter-site distances which are defined by site distributions and densities. It is shown that the homogeneous surface is the most efficient site distribution to obtain high ionization degrees. In the 2-pK⁰ _a model (two deprotonation steps), the ΔpK⁰ _a value is found to control the surface charge properties with regard to pH changes. By considering the variation of the total nanoparticle surface charge as a function of pH our results help in the distinction between the zero charge and the isoelectric point and interpretation of experimental NP titration curves.