Structure and Chemical Interactions at Model Polymer Interfaces

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Chemical Interactions and structural features of organic groups in polymer interfaces will be studied in detail by a combination of synthesis of thin-film model interface structures and application of several spectroscopic techniques. The most significant interactions of interest are weak, chemically specific bonds, particularly Bronsted acid-base interactions involving functional groups such as carboxylic acid, amide, amine, hydroxyl, ester, and ketone. Model organic/organic interfaces will be constructed that place polymer overlayers of monolayer thicknesses in contact with a planar substrate functionalized with organized arrays of polar organic groups of well-defined orientations. Polymer overlayers will be formed by equilibrium-like solution deposition. Characterization of the molecular structures and chemical interactions will be monitored primarily (but not exclusively) by infrared vibrational spectroscopy, optical spectroscopic ellipsometry, and quartz crystal microgravimmetry. The data will be quantitatively analyzed for the number of interactions between groups at the interface, the orientations and conformations of the groups and the polymer backbone units, the overall morphology of the film (density variations and topography) and the thermodynamics of the adsorption process. Conclusions will be drawn accordingly as to correlations between the initial substrate surface, polymer chain structure, and the final interfacial structures. In the long term, such work should contribute to accurate prediction of interfacial behavior and properties of adsorbed polymer films, and should provide well-defined systems for tests theory.