Stimuli-responsive polymer brushes are of high interest for biotechnological and biomedical applications. Such brushes are functional surfaces for control of wettability, adhesion, friction, protein adsorption, and cell or bacteria growth. In this contribution infrared ellipsometric applications with high lateral resolutions [1] and in-situ characterization [2,3] are shown for various types of brushes (thicknesses of about 10-20 nm): pH dependent poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), mixed poly(acrylic acid)/poly(2-vinyl pyridine) (PAA/PVP), mixed poly(ethylene glycol)/poly(acrylic acid-b-styrene) (PEG/PAA-PS) brushes and thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) brushes. Optical simulations of IR ellipsometric spectra allow quantitative conclusions on the stimuli dependent swelling (thickness, water content) and conclusions on geometrical and structure of the brush as well as of adsorbed proteins. Support by DFG (Hi 793/4-1; Sta 324/28-1; Ei 317/4-1) and NSF (Grant DMR 0602528) in Materials World Network is gratefully acknowledged.[1] Hinrichs et al., Thin Solid Films 2014 [2] O. Hoy et al., Adv. Funct. Mater. 20 (2010) 2240-2247 [3] Y. Mikhaylova et al, Anal. Chem. 79 (2007)7676-7682.

Smart polymer brushes studied by in situ infrared ellipsometry

248th National Meeting (2014)

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