COLL 403 |
| Nicolaas A. M Besseling1, Jasper van der Gucht1, Martinus A Cohen Stuart2, and Gerard Fleer1. (1) Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science, Wageningen University, PO box 8038, 6700 EK Wageningen, Netherlands, (2) Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science, Wageningen University, PO Box 8038, 6700 EK Wageningen, Netherlands |
| The use of polymers for tuning interactions between surfaces (1) and hence the properties of colloidal systems received much attention in the last decades, both from an academic and from a practical point of view.(2) More recently, synthetic chemists in the field of so-called supramolecular chemistry are developing new materials that self-assemble into long polymer-like chains through reversible non-covalent interactions.(3) These chains are called equilibrium polymers or living polymers. Their behaviour has much in common with ordinary polymers but there are also important fundamental differences. Their chain-length distribution which is an equilibrium property, is not fixed, as with ordinary polymers, but responds to conditions such as concentration, temperature or the presence of surfaces. In this paper a number of recent theoretical predictions is discussed concerning surface forces arising from the presence of equilibrium polymers. Several cases will be examined: adsorbing and non-adsorbing equilibrium polymers. Special attention will be given to the relevance of the symmetry of the monomers: it turns out that this symmetry, in conjunction with the mode of binding to the surfaces may have important consequences for the surface forces that arise. 1. J. Israelachvili, Intermolecular and Surface Forces; Academic Press, 1991 2. G.J. Fleer et al. Polymers at Interfaces; Chapman & Hall, 1993 3. A. Ciferri, Supramolecular Polymers, Marcel Dekker, 2000 |
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“Smart” Polymers on Surfaces and Colloids
8:30 AM-11:40 AM, Wednesday, March 31, 2004 Marriott -- Grand Ballroom J, Oral
Division of Colloid and Surface Chemistry |