Single-molecule AFM study of polystyrene grafted at gold surfaces
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-1-2005
Abstract
Single-molecule studies under poor solvent conditions show that atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements of contour lengths of polystyrene 12K and 17K relate well to gel permeation chromatography (GPC) data when grafting concentrations are low (not greater than 0.7 mM). Contact angles and ellipsometry have been used to characterize the surfaces and indicate low grafting densities at this grafting concentration. Persistence lengths (p) of different length polystyrene chains, when fitted to a WLC (worm-like chain) model, show values of p = 0.23nm±0.10nm and p = 0.25nm±0.13nm, for 12K and 17K polystyrene, respectively, when the persistence lengths are fitted to log-normal distributions. These values are close to the expected theoretical value of 0.23nm and further confirm that mostly single molecules were studied on these polystyrene surfaces. Higher grafting concentrations (≥1mM) resulted in pulling multiple molecules. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Inc.
Publication Title
Journal of Adhesion
Recommended Citation
Al-Maawali, S.,
Bemis, J.,
Akhremitchev, B.,
Liu, H.,
&
Walker, G.
(2005).
Single-molecule AFM study of polystyrene grafted at gold surfaces.
Journal of Adhesion,
81(10-11), 999-1016.
http://doi.org/10.1080/00218460500310416
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/9100