Arita T, Kanda Y, Higashitani K. In situ observation of single polymers adsorbed onto mica surfaces in water.
J Colloid Interface Sci 2004;
273:102-5. [PMID:
15051438 DOI:
10.1016/j.jcis.2004.02.019]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2002] [Accepted: 02/06/2004] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The morphology of a cationic polymer of high molecular weight, poly[2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl(trimethyl)ammoniumchloride], adsorbed on to a mica surface in water was observed in situ using the tapping mode of an atomic force microscope with a high-resolution probe. It was found that the morphology of adsorbed polymers changes with time to be lumplike, floclike, and then fibril-like and that it takes surprisingly a long time for the polymers to relax completely in water, even though they are highly charged. Detailed structures of extended polymers are also discussed.
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