Collective dynamics of an end-grafted polymer brush in solvents of varying quality

The dynamic structure of a chemically end-grafted polystyrene brush bathed in solvents of varying interactions was studied by evanescent wave dynamic light scattering. It reveals distinct behavior under good and poor solvent conditions. The cooperative diffusion is a generic feature of a good solvent environment, whereas a second slow relaxation mode appears in the theta solvent regime. Its characteristics resemble self-diffusion of clusters in a gel while weak concentration fluctuations in the polymer brush decay similarly to a semidilute polymer solution.