Nanoparticulate polymer brushes, including polymer-grafted nanoparticles and multi-arm star polymers, have unique interfacial properties that make them interesting materials for surface engineering applications. In the context of adsorption at liquid/liquid interfaces, they are demonstrated to be highly efficient emulsifiers. At solid/liquid interfaces, they have demonstrated potential as boundary lubrication agents.  Compared to individual polymer chains in solution, these materials are expected to have decreased entropic penalties for adsorption and are thus able to adsorb under a greater variety of solvent quality or surface attraction conditions than would be expected for individual chains. Yet, in the case of polyelectrolyte brushes, where strong lateral repulsions may hinder adsorption under strong brush charging conditions, it remains a challenge to achieve high extents of adsorption under conditions that also favor good solvency and strong (electro)steric repulsive forces between opposing layers.  This presentation will compare the interfacial properties of pH-responsive polymer-grafted nanoparticles and compact star polymers. The effects of polymer composition and architecture on adsorption and the resulting effects on normal and frictional forces between opposing adsorbed layers will be discussed.  Sequential layer processing strategies that exploit the persistence of non-equilibrium adsorption states to maximize adsorption will be discussed as well.

Star polymer adsorption and surface forces

251st National Meeting (2016)

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