Real-time monitoring of polymer swelling on the nanometer scale by atomic force microscopy

Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
J I ParedesJ M D Tascón

Abstract

The swelling of a polymer surface has been monitored in real time on the nanometer scale by atomic force microscopy (AFM). After modification by oxygen plasma treatment, poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (PPTA) displays a characteristic nanostructured surface morphology consisting of high-lying features alternating with topographically depressed areas. Selective swelling of the least cross-linked, depressed areas after the adsorption of ambient water or water from saturated humid atmospheres was observed by tapping mode AFM operated in the attractive interaction regime. The swollen areas could be distinguished from the nonswollen ones by local variations in the sample indentation made by the AFM tip when imaging in the tapping mode repulsive interaction regime. Monitoring the swelling of the plasma-treated polymer surface provided a means to reveal the nanometer-scale heterogeneity that this type of treatment creates on the polymer surface, which is something that would not be possible otherwise. Measurement of AFM tip-sample adhesion forces evidenced rapid water adsorption onto the oxygen plasma-treated surface, supporting the idea of water-induced swelling. This high hydrophilicity was interpreted as arising from the incorpor...Continue Reading

References

Sep 2, 1998·Journal of Controlled Release : Official Journal of the Controlled Release Society·M Kurisawa, N Yui
Jul 23, 2004·The Journal of Chemical Physics·Joonkyung JangMark A Ratner
Aug 11, 2004·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Abed M AffouneMinoru Umeda
Sep 17, 2004·The New England Journal of Medicine·Kohji NishidaYasuo Tano
Mar 9, 2005·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Dirk SchmaljohannKlaus-Jochen Eichhorn

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Citations

Nov 28, 2012·European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics : Official Journal of Arbeitsgemeinschaft Für Pharmazeutische Verfahrenstechnik E.V·Kampanart HuanbuttaJurairat Nunthanid
Apr 4, 2009·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·J I ParedesJ M D Tascón

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