Langmuir, Vol.10, No.6, 1841-1847, 1994
Adsorption of Photoactive Amphiphilic Polymers Onto Hydrophobic Polymer-Films - Polystyrene-Block-Poly(2-Vinylnaphthalene)-Block-Poly(Methacrylic Acid)
Diblock polystyrene-block-poly(methacrylic acid) polymers have been synthesized using anionic polymerization techniques incorporating an average of one naphthalene per polymer at either the beginning of the polystyrene block or at the junction between the polystyrene and poly(methacrylic acid) blocks. These polymers have been shown in earlier work to form stable micelles in solvent mixtures from 80:20 dioxane/H2O to pure water. In the present paper we have examined the ability of these polymers to adsorb on polystyrene films and have used photophysical techniques to deduce the exposure of the naphthalene group to the aqueous phase. Scanning electron microscopy images demonstrate that the intact micelle adsorbs onto the polystyrene surface and can achieve a nearly close-packed monolayer coverage. The micelles adhere tenaciously to the polystyrene film and lower the contact angle of water from ca. 90-degrees for untreated polystyrene to 30-40-degrees after surface adsorption. The naphthalene groups at the polystyrene-poly(methacrylic acid) junction are partially exposed to the aqueous phase while the naphthalene at the poly(styrene) end is totally protected.
Keywords:TIME-RESOLVED FLUORESCENCE;BLOCK-COPOLYMER MICELLES;INTERFACIAL BEHAVIOR;METHACRYLIC-ACID;SURFACE MICELLES;AQUEOUS-MEDIA;POLYELECTROLYTES