Modification of the Surface of a Substrate by Adsorbed Polymer Interlayers for the Control of Adhesion

A good correlation between the parameters of an adsorbed polymer interlayer and the strength of an adhesive joint was observed. Such polymer interlayers were obtained beforehand by the adsorption of polyacrylates, polymethacrylates and their copolymers with acrylic and methacrylic acid from solution on to the surface of aluminium plates. Oligocarbomethacrylate was used as an adhesive. Contact angle measurements were employed for investigating the structure of the adsorbed polymer layers. It was found out that the fraction of sites screened by the polymer, the fraction of the substrate available for the adhesive and the fraction of attached segments affects the adhesion strength.

Evaluation of soy-based surface active copolymers as surfactant ingredients in model shampoo formulations

OBJECTIVE

A new non-toxic soybean oil-based polymeric surfactant (SBPS) for personal-care products was developed and extensively characterized, including an evaluation of the polymeric surfactant performance in model shampoo formulations.

METHODS

To experimentally assure applicability of the soy-based macromolecules in shampoos, either in combination with common anionic surfactants (in this study, sodium lauryl sulfate, SLS) or as a single surface-active ingredient, the testing of SBPS physicochemical properties, performance and visual assessment of SBPS-based model shampoos was carried out.

RESULTS

The results obtained, including foaming and cleaning ability of model formulations, were compared to those with only SLS as a surfactant as well as to SLS-free shampoos. Overall, the results show that the presence of SBPS improves cleaning, foaming, and conditioning of model formulations.

CONCLUSIONS

SBPS-based formulations meet major requirements of multifunctional shampoos - mild detergency, foaming, good conditioning, and aesthetic appeal, which are comparable to commercially available shampoos. In addition, examination of SBPS/SLS mixtures in model shampoos showed that the presence of the SBPS enables the concentration of SLS to be significantly reduced without sacrificing shampoo performance.

Mechanism of silver ion reduction in concentrated solutions of amphiphilic invertible polyesters in nonpolar solvent at room temperature

Fast formation and efficient stabilization of silver nanoparticles from [Ag(NH3)2]OH are achieved in concentrated nonpolar solutions of amphiphilic invertible polyesters based on poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and aliphatic dicarboxylic acids. Surface-modified silver nanoparticles able to be dispersed in both a polar and nonpolar medium are developed in the form of a ready-to-use colloidal solution with an enhanced silver concentration. The PEO fragments of polyesters form cavities (also called pseudo-crown ester structures) that can bind metal ions. The reduction of bound metal ions proceeds via oxidation of polyoxyethylene fragments. No chemical reducing agents are necessary in this approach. The polyesters act simultaneously as an efficient reducing agent and stabilizer. The main focus of the present research is to clarify the chemical mechanism of silver ion reduction in amphiphilic polyester solutions. A one-electron reduction mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of silver nanoparticles. The effect of the poly(ethylene oxide) fragment length and the polyester concentration are explored by examining several amphiphilic polyesters.

An effective way to stabilize colloidal particles dispersed in polar and nonpolar media

This article offers a new approach to building up self-adjustable invertible polymer coatings at solid surfaces. The approach is based on a two-step process. In the first step, the surface of dispersed TiO2 has been functionalized with the aid of toluene diisocyanate (TDI) as a coupling agent. In the second step, the chains of amphiphilic oligoester have been covalently grafted to the titanium dioxide surface functionalized with isocyanate groups. It is shown that the titania modified in this way can form stable suspensions in both polar (water) and nonpolar (toluene) media. Multiple redispersion cycles show the ability of the modified titanium dioxide particles, after their removal from one type of dispersion and consequent drying, to be redispersed in dispersing media strongly differing by polarity from the previous.

Design of a new invertible polymer coating on a solid surface and its effect on dispersion colloidal stability

This article presents a new approach to building up self-adjustable invertible polymer coatings at solid surfaces. The approach is based on a two-step process. In the first step, the surface of dispersed TiO2 or silicon wafers was functionalized with the aid of a reactive copolymer, viz., poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) (PSM), to which, in the second step, the chains of amphiphilic oligoester have been tethered. The latter contains both hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) and hydrophobic aliphatic dibasic acid moieties being alternately distributed along the oligomer chains. It is shown that the titania modified in this way can form stable suspensions in both polar (water) and nonpolar (toluene) media. Moreover, multiple drying/redispersion cycles demonstrate the ability of the modified titania particles, after their removal from one type of dispersion and consequent drying, to be redispersed in dispersing media strongly differing by polarity from that of the previous medium. An environmentally induced switching of the surface properties has been observed via the measurement of the wetting contact angles and scanning force microscopy (SFM) of silicon wafers covered by PSM with tethered oligoester chains. These experiments give strong support for the predicted capability of such polymer coatings to switch their environmental appearance (i.e., to behave as a self-adjustable invertible interface because of the ability of the tethered amphiphilic oligoester chains to change their conformations in response to environmental changes in such a manner so as to adapt and enhance their compatibility with the surrounding media).