Analogy in adsorption behavior of homopolyelectrolyte mixtures as compared to analogous diblock polyampholytes

The adsorption behavior of aqueous mixtures of the homopolyelectrolytes poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) and poly[(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDMAEMA) was investigated in comparison with the adsorption of the ampholytic diblock copolymer PMAA‐b‐PDMAEMA on silicon substrates. Ellipsometry was used to determine the amount of adsorbed homopolyelectrolyte and diblock polyampholyte. Furthermore, the topography of the adsorbed polymers was investigated with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and compared with the structures observed in aqueous solutions by dynamic light scattering (DLS). For all types of investigated polyelectrolytic mixtures or the single polyampholyte, the adsorption was strongly influenced by the pH of the polymer solution. Although single homopolyelectrolytes showed only one maximum in adsorption according to their charge, the mixtures made from these homopolyelectrolytes showed two or three maxima. The third maximum near the isoelectric point of the mixture was assigned to a new species formed by aggregation of the two homopolyelectrolytes. Altogether, the adsorption behavior of the polyelectrolytic mixtures was in between the behavior of the pure homopolyelectrolytes and the analogous polyampholytes and therefore understandable from both of these polymer species. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 338–345, 2002; DOI 10.1002/polb.10091     

Adsorption of block polyampholyte micelles in monolayers at the silicon water interface

 The adsorption of the diblock polyampholyte poly (methacrylic acid)-block-poly((dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) from aqueous solution on silicon substrates was investigated as a function of polymer concentration and pH. Dynamic light scattering and electrokinetic measurements were used to characterize the polyampholyte in solution. The amount of polymer adsorbed was determined by ellipsometry and lateral structures of the polymer layer were investigated by scanning force microscopy. The amount of polymer adsorbed was found to be strongly influenced by the pH of the polymer solution, while the size of the polyampholyte micelles adsorbed on the surface was hardly affected by pH during adsorption. From investigations by scanning force microscopy well-seperated micelles were seen in the dried monolayers adsorbed directly from solution. The structures at the surface are correlated to structures in solution, and the adsorbed amount depends on the relative charge of the micelles and the surface. Received: 13 September 1999 Accepted in revised form: 8 December 1999     

Preparation and characterization of narrow compositional distribution polyampholytes as potential biomaterials: Copolymers of N-(3-aminopropyl)methacrylamide hydrochloride (APM) and methacrylic acid (MAA)

This article describes the preparation and solution properties of a series of polyampholytes composed of N-(3-aminopropyl)methacrylamide hydrochloride (APM) and methacrylic acid (MAA). In particular, conditions were found where the copolymers could be formed with little or no drift in composition over the course of polymerization to quite high conversions. The compositional drift, common to many copolymerizations, was limited by adjusting the reactivity of MAA through control of its degree of ionization (i.e., pH). As revealed by potentiometric measurements and changes in ¹H NMR spectra, the solution pH drifted over the course of some polymerizations. This was ascribed to changes in the pK_a values of the ammonium and carboxylate groups upon incorporation in the copolymer. The pH drift led to a change in degree of MAA ionization, and hence the relative reactivities of APM and MAA, but this effect could be minimized by using a buffer. Precipitation, which occurred during some polymerizations, could be prevented, in some cases, by the addition of salt or an organic cosolvent. Even in cases where precipitation could not be prevented, it was found that the copolymer was still formed with minimal compositional drift. The solubility of the resulting polyampholytes in aqueous solution was found to depend on their composition, as well as pH, ionic strength and temperature. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 353–365     

Adsorption of toluene-soluble polymers at the toluene–water interface

The adsorption of several toluene-soluble polymers at the toluene–water interface has been investigated by using the duNouy ring method of measuring interfacial tension γT /W . Polystyrene and poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (11.1 mole-% vinyl acetate) have little affinity for this interface at 29°C, but poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) (M?_n = 420,000) and ethyl cellulose (EC) (M?_n = 50,100; 49.1% ethoxyl) adsorb significantly at concentrations as low as 1.0 × 10^?4 g/100ml. A plot of interfacial tension lowering versus initial logarithm of initial bulk phase polymer concentration is linear from 1.0 × 10^?4 to 1.0 × 10^?1 g/100 ml for EC and 1.0 × 10^?4 to 1.0 × 10^?2 g/100 ml for PMMA. When the PMMA concentration increases to 1.15 × 10^?1 g/100 ml, its adsorption behavior changes markedly. Prolonged time effects occur and adsorption becomes dependent upon dissolved water content of the toluene prior to formation of the toluene/water interface. Such effects are not observed with the other solutions studied. Increasing temperatures have variable effects on values of γT /W for the polymer solutions studied. Experiments with various polymer mixtures indicate that the polymer lowering T /W the most is preferentially adsorbed at the toluene–water interface and rapidly displaces less strongly adsorbed polymers.     

Aggregation states and molecular motion of polymer ultrathin films prepared at the air/water interface

Surface structure and dynamics in three different polymeric ultrathin systems, such as organosilane monolayers, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) brushes and poly(amido amine) dendrimer monolayers are discussed.     

Adsorption and solvation of ethanol at the water liquid-vapor interface: a molecular dynamics study

The free energy profiles of methanol and ethanol at the water liquid-vapor interface at 310K were calculated using molecular dynamics computer simulations. Both alcohols exhibit a pronounced free energy minimum at the interface and, therefore, have positive adsorption at this interface. The surface excess was computed from the Gibbs adsorption isotherm and was found to be in good agreement with experimental results. Neither compound exhibits a free energy barrier between the bulk and the surface adsorbed state. Scattering calculations of ethanol molecules from a gas phase thermal distribution indicate that the mass accommodation coefficient is 0.98, and the molecules become thermalized within 10 ps of striking the interface. It was determined that the formation of the solvation structure around the ethanol molecule at the interface is not the rate-determining step in its uptake into water droplets. The motion of an ethanol molecule in a water lamella was followed for 30 ns. The time evolution of the probability distribution of finding an ethanol molecule that was initially located at the interface is very well described by the diffusion equation on the free energy surface.     

About the formation and characterisation of a new phase of polycationic monolayers at the air/water interface

The interfacial behaviour of highly charged cationic polyelectrolytes (PEs) (by alkylation of poly-4-vinylpyridine with C₈-, C₁₂- or C₁₆-alkyl halogenides) was investigated at the air/water interface. Great care must be taken with respect to the experimental technique for recording the isotherms. Only a stepwise procedure, applying small pressure increments and checking and recording potential area relaxations, reveals the intrinsic monolayer characteristics. After a true equilibrium range in the isotherm, starting from the onset of first film pressure to the almost closed packed layer, it could be demonstrated that at certain states of compression, a spontaneous kinetically controlled area relaxation is induced, which coincides with a mono- to triple-layer state transition. This region is visible as large shifts in area if the film is kept at constant pressure. The presence and coexistence of well-defined triple-layer states could be proved by Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) transfer and ellipsometric thickness measurements as well as by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Typical features of all area relaxations are induction periods and sigmoidal courses of the plots. According to these relaxations and the characterisation by AFM, the new phase formation is characterised by progressive nucleation and one-dimensional growth. Based on relaxation measurements, a saturation pressure can be derived, constituting the reference for defining supersaturation for nucleation and growth. All experimental findings together can be understood, if one assumes a stretched, stiff and rod-like structure as the most plausible and simple model for the PE in the presence of hard counterions. For the case of soft and polarisable counterions, for electrostatic reasons, the polymer behaviour changes to a worm-like structure. The rate of nucleation of the well-defined phase formation became highly irreproducible in this case.     

Adsorption and inhibition properties of Tephrosia Purpurea as corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in sulphuric acid solution

Abstract

The present study investigated the adsorption and inhibition behavior of leaf extract of Tephrosia Purpurea (T. purpurea) on mild steel corrosion in 1?N H₂SO₄ solution using electrochemical and surface morphological methods. Techniques adopted for electrochemical studies were Potentiodynamic Polarization and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) technique; and surface morphological studies were carried out using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The leaf extract of T. purpurea was characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) and Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (GCMS). The results obtained from electrochemical studies exhibited the potential of T. purpurea as good corrosion inhibitor. And, it was found that, the inhibition efficiency (I.E in %) increases with increase in concentration of the inhibitor molecules, the optimum inhibitor concentration observed was 300?ppm and the inhibition efficiency of 93% was observed at this inhibitor concentration. Above 300?ppm, there was not much changes in inhibition efficiency. Polarization studies provided the information that the inhibition is of mixed type and EIS confirmed that the corrosion process is controlled by single charge transfer mechanism. And, it was obtained that, the adsorption of inhibitor molecules obeys Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The inhibition is mainly by the adsorption of inhibitor molecules on the mild steel electrode surface, which was confirmed by FT-IR, SEM and AFM studies. Through all the experimental results, it can be arrived that, the leaf extract of T. purpurea performed as a good corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in 1?N sulfuric acid medium.     

A foldamer at the liquid/graphite interface: the effect of interfacial interactions, solvent, concentration, and temperature

The unfolding process and self-assembly of a foldable oligomer (foldamer 1) at the liquid/graphite interface were investigated by scanning tunnelling microscopy. At the level of molecular conformation, we identified several molecular conformations (A(z), B, C, D, E) that represent intermediate states during unfolding, which may help to elucidate the unfolding process at the liquid/graphite interface. Adsorption at the interface traps the intermediate states of the unfolding process, and STM has proved to be a powerful technique for investigating folding and unfolding of a foldamer at the molecular level, which are not accessible by other methods. The STM observations also revealed that varying the solvent and/or concentration results in different self-assemblies of foldamer 1 as a result of variations in molecular conformations. The solvent and concentration effects were attributed to the changes in existing states (extended or folded) of foldamers in solution, which in turn affect the distribution of adsorbed molecular conformations at the interface. This mechanism is quite different from other systems in which solvent and concentration effects were also observed.     

Inorganic/organic host–guest materials: Surface and interclay reactions of styrene with copper(II)-exchanged hectorite

Many important layered silicate–polymer nanocomposite materials may be synthesized using an in-situ polymerization process. Using this technique, organic monomers are intercalated into the interlayer regions of the hosts, where subsequent polymerization may then occur. In this paper, we report on the in-situ polymerization of styrene in Cu(II)-exchanged hectorite thin films. Scanning force microscopy (SFM) images of the polymer surface reveal that the surface polystyrene is generally aggregated into groups of elongated strands. SFM imaging of the interclay regions, in conjunction with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron spin resonance (ESR) data, indicates that approximately 20–30% of these regions contain polystyrene, with minimal reduction in the majority of Cu²⁺ sites observed. XRD data shows little or no intercalation of the monomer into the true intergallery regions. Instead, the polymer likely forms in intercrystallite or planar defect regions. In addition, two distinct phases of polymeric material are found within these defect regions, a highly polymerized polystyrene in addition to a polystyrene form exhibiting greater material stiffness. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 673–679, 1998     

Adsorption kinetics of some carotenoids at the oil/water interface

The kinetic analysis of the adsorption of two carotenoids (i.e., ethyl ester of β-apo-8′-carotenoic acid and β-carotene, all trans-isomers) from n-hexane solutions at the oil/water interface is presented for several carotenoid concentrations in the oil phase. A new kinetic approach is developed and it addresses the diffusion adsorption associated with a reversible interfacial reaction, which describes the reorientation of surfactant molecules between two conformations. This approach leads to a general analytical expression that contains four physical parameters and describes with high accuracy the experimental dynamic interfacial tensions for the two carotenoids, which independently adsorb from n-hexane phase to the n-hexane/water interface. The calculations give the characteristic times for the carotenoid adsorption at the oil/water interface in terms of diffusion relaxation and kinetic relaxation times. The results explain the long time effects on the adsorption of these carotenoids at the oil/water interface. The data are in substantial agreement with the molecular structure of these carotenoids and with the earlier data recorded for cholesterol adsorption at the n-heptane/water interface. Based on these findings, we propose a molecular mechanism for the interfacial transformation of carotenoid molecules at a hydrophobic/hydrophilic interface.     

Effect of surfactant structure on the adsorption of carboxybetaines at the air–water interface

In order to study the effect of charge on the adsorption of surfactants at the air–water interface, two carboxybetaines have been synthesized with different number of separation methylenes between their charged groups. After purification and structure confirmation, the equilibrium and dynamic surface tensions were measured as a function of surfactant concentration for both the cationic and neutral forms of the surfactant molecules. The effect of ionic strength on the adsorption process was also studied. The equilibrium surface tension values were interpreted according to the Langmuir model and the dynamic surface tension data, converted to surface concentration by the Langmuir parameters, are consistent with the assumption of diffusion control over the range of surfactant concentrations studied. The diffusion coefficients show a progressive decrease in the rate of adsorption when the number of methylene units between the betaine charged groups increase.     

Layer‐by‐layer assembly of weak‐strong copolymer polyelectrolytes: A route to morphological control of thin films

Multilayer films were assembled from a strong polyelectrolyte (poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), PDADMAC) and a copolymer containing both strongly charged styrene sulfonate moieties and weakly charged maleic acid moieties (poly(4‐styrenesulfonic acid‐co‐maleic acid), PSSMA). Growth of PSSMA/PDADMAC multilayers was linear, as characterized by UV‐vis spectroscopy and quartz crystal microgravimetry. The influence of both the pH of the PSSMA adsorption solutions and the ratio of SS:MA in the PSSMA on multilayer properties was investigated. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results showed that the ionization of carboxylic acid groups in PSSMA/PDADMAC multilayers did not vary significantly with changes in the PSSMA assembly pH. However, the multilayers showed different thicknesses, surface morphologies, and stability to post‐assembly pH treatment. We also demonstrate that PSSMA/PDADMAC multilayers are significantly more stable than PSSMA/PAH multilayers after post‐assembly pH treatment (i.e. the films remain intact when exposed to pH extremes). In addition, the surface morphology of two films (PSSMA 1:1 assembled at pH 5.8, post‐treated at pH 2 and PSSMA 3:1 assembled at pH 5.8, post‐treated at pH 11) changed significantly when the films were exposed to solutions of different pH and, in the former case, this change in film morphology was reversible. The porous morphology after treatment at pH 2 could be reversed to give a significantly smoother film after subsequent exposure to water for 24 h. Our results demonstrate that by the rational choice of the assembly pH of PSSMA, stable and pH‐responsive films can be obtained via the sequential assembly of PSSMA and PDADMAC. These films have potential in controlled release applications where film stability and pH‐responsive behavior are essential. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4341‐4351, 2007     

Friction force microscopy of self-assembled monolayers: probing molecular organisation at the nanometre scale

The basic principles behind friction force microscopy are described. Applications of friction force microscopy to self-assembled monolayers are reviewed. Work in the author’s laboratory on the frictional properties of self-assembled monolayers is described, and the findings applied in the characterisation of a much more complex material, plasma-treated polyester. Friction force microscopy is found to be a powerful tool for the analysis of the chemical composition and molecular organisation of molecular materials at the nanometre scale.     

Selective adsorption behavior of polymer at the polymer–nanoparticle interface

Coarse‐grained molecular dynamics simulations are used to investigate the adsorption behavior of monodisperse and bidisperse polymer chains on the nanoparticle (NP) surface at various polymer–NP interactions, chain lengths, and stiffness. At a strong polymer–NP interaction, long chains preferentially occupy interfacial region and squeeze short chains out of the interfacial region. Semiflexible chains with proper stiffness wrap NPs dominantly in a helical fashion, whereas fully flexible chains constitute the surrounding matrix. As chain stiffness increases, the results of the preferential adsorption are the opposite. The chain‐length or chain‐stiffness‐induced selective adsorption behavior of polymer chains in the polymer–NP interfacial region relies on a delicate competition between entropic and enthalpic contributions to the total free energy. These results could provide insights into polymer–NP interfacial adsorption behavior and guide the design of high‐performance nanocomposites. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 1829–1837     

Effect of molecular weight and substrate on silicone segregation from UV resin at plasma polymerized mold interface

Pristine‐, poly(octafluorotoluene)‐ (POFT), and polyacetylene (PAc)‐coated Si wafers were used as substrates for the study of segregation of silicone diacrylate (SA) from a formulation containing other oligomeric and monomeric acrylates. POFT and PAc were microwave plasma polymerized on the Si wafers. Three SAs with molecular weights ranging from 700 to 6000 Da were synthesized and characterized. Formulations with 2 wt % SA were ultraviolet cured on the silicon wafers. The surface composition of formulation‐substrate side of the cured film was analyzed with X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the depth profile was analyzed with time of flight‐secondary ion mass spectrometry. The analysis results indicated that SA aggregated on all three types of Si surfaces. However, SA segregation is highest on the low surface energy POFT‐coated Si substrate, and low‐molecular‐weight SA is favorable to the segregation. For high‐molecular‐weight SA, the different Si substrates do not affect the degree of aggregation at the formulation‐substrate interface. The observed SA aggregation trend can be predicted by the Gibbs‐adsorption equation correlated to the resin surface tension and contact angle on substrates. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 442–450, 2010     

Adsorption and surface-induced self-assembly of surfactants at the solid–aqueous interface

Increasing insight into the interfacial behaviour of surfactants has emerged during the past few years. Important advances in this area are largely due to the use of surface-specific techniques like ellipsometry, neutron reflectivity, fluorescence spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) for in situ studies of surfactant layer properties. This review covers recent developments in the area which have contributed to the current understanding of adsorption mechanisms and interfacial structures.