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Published on: April 8, 2018
Nanoscale memory provided by thermoreversible stochastically structured polymer aggregates on mica
Avishay Pelah1, Silvio J Ludueña, Elizabeth A Jares-Erijman
1Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, D-37070 Göttingen, Germany. apelah@gwdg.de
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|November 1, 2006
Summary
Stimuli-responsive polymers exhibit reversible property changes. This study shows poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) forms stable nanodomains with positional memory during heating and cooling cycles, useful for nano-devices.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Science
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Stimuli-responsive polymers offer tunable properties for diverse applications.
- Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) is a well-known thermoresponsive polymer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the thermoreversible structuring of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide).
- To explore the potential for positional memory in polymer nanostructures.
Main Methods:
- Temperature-controlled atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed.
- Polymer aggregation and dispersion were observed across the lower critical solution temperature.
Main Results:
- Polymer aggregates formed on mica above the lower critical solution temperature and dispersed below it.
- The polymer nanodomains exhibited positional memory, retaining their positions and shapes through repeated thermal cycles.
- Consistent nanodomain formation and dissolution were observed upon cooling and heating.
Conclusions:
- Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) demonstrates thermoreversible structuring with remarkable positional memory.
- This positional memory in nanodomains has potential applications in nano-microscale devices.
- The findings highlight the utility of stimuli-responsive polymers in advanced material design.
