Self-Assembly of Arborescent Polystyrene-graft-Poly(ethylene oxide) Copolymers at the Air/Water Interface

• Published in: Macromolecular chemistry and physics Vol. 209; no. 9; pp. 907 - 918
• Main Authors: Njikang, Gabriel N., Cao, Lan, Gauthier, Mario
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 06.05.2008; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley
• Subjects: amphiphilic polymers; Applied sciences; atomic force microscopy; core-shell polymers; dendrigraft polymers; Exact sciences and technology; graft copolymers; Langmuir-Blodgett films; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Properties and characterization; Surface properties; Monolayer; amphiphilic polymers; graft copolymers; Composition effect; dendrigraft polymers; Air water interface; Surface topography; Branched copolymer; Ethylene oxide copolymer; Experimental study; atomic force microscopy; Langmuir-Blodgett films; Molecular aggregation; Langmuir Blodgett layer; Aqueous solution; Block copolymer; Dendritic structure; core- shell polymers; Amphiphilic polymer; Styrene copolymer
• ISSN: 1022-1352; 1521-3935
• DOI: 10.1002/macp.200700619

AFM imaging was used to investigate the influence of molecular structure and composition on the formation of Langmuir monolayers by arborescent PS‐graft‐PEO copolymers at the air/water interface. Even without compression, these molecules associate spontaneously at the air/water interface and form stable monolayers that are easily transferred onto solid substrates as Langmuir/Blodgett films. The copolymers either form aggregates with a low association level, large island‐like clusters, or ribbon‐like superstructures. The different behaviors of the copolymers are rationalized in terms of the influence of their composition and of the structure of the arborescent PS cores on the assembly process.