Change in local conformation of polymer chains at film surface attached to solid surface

Adhesion is a molecular event where polymer chains contact with a material surface to form an interfacial layer. To obtain a better understanding of the adhesion on a molecular scale, we herein examined the conformational change of polystyrene (PS) chains at the film surface after contacting with hydrophobic or hydrophilic surfaces using sum-frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy. Chains altered their local conformations with a quartz surface more quickly than a hydrophobic alkyl-functionalized one. A full-atomistic molecular dynamics simulation showed that these results, which were coupled with the contact process of PS chains with the solid surface, could be explained in terms of the Coulomb interaction between them.

Automated summary

This study revealed the conformational changes of polystyrene (PS) chains at the film surface after contacting with solid surfaces on a molecular scale. The differences between quartz surface and hydrophobic surface are explained in terms of the Coulomb interaction, providing insights into the adhesion process.