Polyelectrolyte brushes studied by surface forces measurement

Weak polyelectrolyte brushes

I review experimental developments in the growth and application of surface-grafted weak polyelectrolytes (brushes), concentrating on their surface, tribological, and adhesive and bioadhesive properties, and their role as actuators.

Surface anchoring of nematic liquid crystal on swollen polymer brush studied by surface forces measurement

Surface anchoring plays a fundamental role in controlling the molecular alignment of a bulk liquid crystal (LC). It has been previously shown that the pretilt angle of a nematic liquid crystal (NLC) can be controlled by changing the grafting density of a liquid crystalline polymer, poly(6-(4-methoxy-azobenzene-4'-oxy) hexyl methacrylate) (PMMAZO). In this study, the thickness of the swollen PMMAZO brush was measured by employing the surface forces apparatus (SFA). NLC 4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) and toluene were used as the solvents. It was shown that both 5CB and toluene were good solvents for PMMAZO. The repulsive force in 5CB appeared at D₀ = 98.2 ± 4.6 nm for high grafting density (HD) surfaces, and at 32.1 ± 4.5 nm for the low grafting density (LD) surfaces. These results indicated that the PMMAZO molecules extended nearly perpendicular to the HD surfaces, while they laid on the substrate for the LD surfaces. The interaction between 5CB and the mesogenic group of PMMAZO was stronger than that for toluene. These results could support the expected surface anchoring mechanism of 5CB by the PMMAZO brush.

Surface forces measurement for materials science

This article reviews the surface forces measurement as a novel tool for materials science. The history of the measurement is briefly described in the Introduction. The general overview covers specific features of the surface forces measurement as a tool for studying the solid-liquid interface, confined liquids and soft matter. This measurement is a powerful way for understanding interaction forces, and for characterizing (sometime unknown) phenomena at solid-liquid interfaces and soft complex matters. The surface force apparatus (SFA) we developed for opaque samples can study not only opaque samples in various media, but also electrochemical processes under various electrochemical conditions. Electrochemical SFA enables us to determine the distribution of counterions between strongly bound ones in the Stern layer and those diffused in the Gouy-Chapman layer. The shear measurement is another active area of the SFA research. We introduced a resonance method, i.e. the resonance shear measurement (RSM), that is used to study the effective viscosity and lubricity of confined liquids in their thickness from μm to contact. Advantages of these measurements are discussed by describing examples of each measurement. These studies demonstrate how the forces measurement is used for characterizing solid-liquid interfaces, confined liquids and reveal unknown phenomena. The readers will be introduced to the broad applications of the forces measurement in the materials science field.

Interaction Forces on Polyampholytic Hydrogel Gradient Surfaces

Rational design and informed development of nontoxic antifouling coatings requires a thorough understanding of the interactions between surfaces and fouling species. With more complex antifouling materials, such as composites or zwitterionic polymers, there follows also a need for better characterization of the materials as such. To further the understanding of the antifouling properties of charge-balanced polymers, we explore the properties of layered polyelectrolytes and their interactions with charged surfaces. These polymers were prepared via self-initiated photografting and photopolymerization (SIPGP); on top of a uniform bottom layer of anionic poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA), a cationic poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) thickness gradient was formed. Infrared microscopy and imaging spectroscopic ellipsometry were used to characterize chemical composition and swelling of the combined layer. Direct force measurements by colloidal probe atomic force microscopy were performed to investigate the forces between the polymer gradients and charged probes. The swelling of PMAA and PDMAEMA are very different, with steric and electrostatic forces varying in a nontrivial manner along the gradient. The gradients can be tuned to form a protein-resistant charge-neutral region, and we demonstrate that this region, where both electrostatic and steric forces are small, is highly compressed and the origin of the protein resistance of this region is most likely an effect of strong hydration of charged residues at the surface, rather than swelling or bulk hydration of the polymer. In the highly swollen regions far from charge-neutrality, steric forces dominate the interactions between the probe and the polymer. In these regions, the SIPGP polymer has qualitative similarities with brushes, but we were unable to quantitatively describe the polymer as a brush, supporting previous data suggesting that these polymers are cross-linked.

Engineering the anchoring behavior of nematic liquid crystals on a solid surface by varying the density of liquid crystalline polymer brushes

Controlling the orientation of liquid crystal (LC) molecules towards contacting surfaces is a crucial requirement for the development of LC displays and passive electro-optical devices. Up to now, research has been focused on photo-responses of a LC azobenzene polymer system to obtain either planar or homeotropic orientation of LCs. It remains a challenge, however, to tune the polar angle of LC molecules on the solid surface and gain more insights about the polymer chain conformation extending in LC medium. Here, we deposit a liquid crystalline side chain polymer brush, poly(6-(4-methoxy-azobenzene-4'-oxy)hexyl methacrylate) (PMMAZO), onto the solid surface with film thickness varying between ∼3 nm and 13 nm; therefore, the grafting density of the brush layer ranges from 0.0219 to 0.0924 chains per nm2. When LCs are confined in hybrid cells with a top surface eliciting uniform homeotropic anchoring and a bottom surface covered by the PMMAZO brush, the out-of-plane polar angle of 4-pentyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) on the brush layer gradually changes from ∼0° to ∼62° by simply increasing the grafting brush density. The surface forces apparatus (SFA) measurement is used to determine 5CB as a good solvent for the PMMAZO brush and understand the relationship between the chain conformation in 5CB and the anchoring behavior of LC molecules on the polymer brush layer. For high grafting density, the polymer chain in 5CB extends significantly away from the substrate, making the side chain mesogens on average almost parallel to the substrate; for the low-density case, the main chain extends in the narrow region around the surface for aligning the mesogens perpendicular to the substrate.

Molecular Architecture Studied by the Surface Forces Measurement

This feature article reviews the surface forces measurement as a tool for studying molecular architecture chemistry. The history of the measurement is briefly described in the Introduction. The general overview covers specific features of the surface forces measurement as a tool for studying and using molecular architecture. This measurement is powerful for understanding interaction forces and for characterizing and discovering the phenomena at solid-liquid interfaces and soft complex matter. An apparatus for opaque samples was developed, which can be used to study not only opaque samples in various media but also electrochemical processes under various electrochemical potentials. Our studies of molecular architecture are reviewed; they include biological molecular recognition especially involved in the enzyme-substrate interaction; polyelectrolyte brushes exhibiting steric repulsion, which can be reproduced by the osmotic pressure of the counterions, and a density-dependent transition; the hydrogen-bonded molecular macrocluster formation of alcohol and carboxylic acids adsorbed on silica in nonpolar solvents such as cyclohexane; and surface forces between ferrocene-modified electrodes under various applied potentials. These studies demonstrate how the forces measurement is used to identify interacting species such as in biological systems to reveal unknown phenomena and to characterize soft complex matter and the effective potential of the electrodes. Readers will be introduced to the broad applications of the force measurement.

Polymer-brush lubrication: a review of recent theoretical advances

This review compiles recent theoretical advances to describe compressive and shear forces of polymer-brush bilayers, which consist of two opposing brushes in contact. Such model systems for polymer-brush lubrication are frequently used as a benchmark to gain insight into biological problems, e.g., synovial joint lubrication. Based on scaling theory, I derive conformational and collective properties of polymer-brush bilayers in equilibrium and out-of-equilibrium situations, such as shear forces in the linear and nonlinear response regimes of stationary shear and under non-stationary shear. Furthermore, I discuss the influence of macromolecular inclusions and electrostatic interactions on polymer-brush lubrication. Comparisons to alternative analytical approaches, experiments and numerical results are performed. Special emphasis is given to methods for simulating polymer-brush bilayers using molecular dynamics simulations.

Promoting the selection and maintenance of fetal liver stem/progenitor cell colonies by layer-by-layer polypeptide tethered supported lipid bilayer

In this study, we designed and constructed a series of layer-by-layer polypeptide adsorbed supported lipid bilayer (SLB) films as a novel and label-free platform for the isolation and maintenance of rare populated stem cells. In particular, four alternative layers of anionic poly-l-glutamic acid and cationic poly-l-lysine were sequentially deposited on an anionic SLB. We found that the fetal liver stem/progenitor cells from the primary culture were selected and formed colonies on all layer-by-layer polypeptide adsorbed SLB surfaces, regardless of the number of alternative layers and the net charges on those layers. Interestingly, these isolated stem/progenitor cells formed colonies which were maintained for an 8 day observation period. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation measurements showed that all SLB-polypeptide films were protein resistant with serum levels significantly lower than those on the polypeptide multilayer films without an underlying SLB. We suggest the fluidic SLB promotes selective binding while minimizing the cell-surface interaction due to its nonfouling nature, thus limiting stem cell colonies from spreading.

Hybrid materials and polymer electrolytes for electrochromic device applications

Electrochromic (EC) materials and polymer electrolytes are the most imperative and active components in an electrochromic device (ECD). EC materials are able to reversibly change their light absorption properties in a certain wavelength range via redox reactions stimulated by low direct current (dc) potentials of the order of a fraction of volts to a few volts. The redox switching may result in a change in color of the EC materials owing to the generation of new or changes in absorption band in visible region, infrared or even microwave region. In ECDs the electrochromic layers need to be incorporated with supportive components such as electrical contacts and ion conducting electrolytes. The electrolytes play an indispensable role as the prime ionic conduction medium between the electrodes of the EC materials. The expected applications of the electrochromism in numerous fields such as reflective-type display and smart windows/mirrors make these materials of prime importance. In this article we have reviewed several examples from our research work as well as from other researchers' work, describing the recent advancements on the materials that exhibit visible electrochromism and polymer electrolytes for electrochromic devices. The first part of the review is centered on nanostructured inorganic and conjugated polymer-based organic-inorganic hybrid EC materials. The emphasis has been to correlate the structures, morphologies and interfacial interactions of the EC materials to their electronic and ionic properties that influence the EC properties with unique advantages. The second part illustrates the perspectives of polymer electrolytes in electrochromic applications with emphasis on poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) based polymer electrolytes. The requirements and approaches to optimize the formulation of electrolytes for feasible electrochromic devices have been delineated.