Recently we have presented new polyelectrolyte nanoring structures formed by self-assembly of poly(ethylenimine) and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) during sequential adsorption observed by AFM microscope in liquid cell technique. In this work, filter pore size and carbonate ion concentration are identified as critical parameters for their formation. We show how these two parameters modulate the nanorings formation as a consequence of the hydrophobic polyelectrolyte domains formed into the polyelectrolyte solutions and the screening effect produced by the divalent carbonate ions present also in solutions. Also, we prove how the nanorings size is controlled through competition between electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions where the charge density of the substrate plays an important role.
