Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 22, 2025

Preparation and Friction Force Microscopy Measurements of Immiscible, Opposing Polymer Brushes
Published on: December 24, 2014
High Density Polymer Brush Spontaneously Formed by the Segregation of Amphiphilic Diblock Copolymers to the
Manabu Inutsuka1, Norifumi L Yamada2, Kohzo Ito1
1Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba 277-8561, Japan.
Abstract:
A self-repairable high density polymer brush of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is formed at the interface between cross-linked poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) and water by spontaneous surface segregation of an amphiphilic diblock copolymer consisting of PEG and PDMS. The surface reconstruction by the formation of the brush was observed as the large hysteresis of the contact angle of the water droplet. Neutron reflectivity measurement revealed that the grafting density of the polymer brush is 2.8 chain/nm2, which is comparable to those of polymer brushes by the surface-initiated polymerization method. The formation of such a remarkably dense polymer brush by segregation can be well supported by the balance between the mixing enthalpy of PEG and water and the stretching energy of PEG.
More Related Videos
10:53Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by π-π Stacking Interactions
Published on: October 10, 2016
09:02Using Polystyrene-block-polyacrylic acid-coated Metal Nanoparticles as Monomers for Their Homo- and Co-polymerization
Published on: July 9, 2015
Related Concept Videos
Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers
Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers
As the step-growth polymerization involves step-wise condensation of monomers, the molecular weight also builds up eventually. Consequently, high molecular weight polymers are obtained at the late stages of the polymerization, where 99% of monomers have been consumed.
The extent of the...
Polymer Classification: Architecture
Polymers
Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...