Friction of single polymers at surfaces

Atomic force microscope (AFM) single molecule force spectroscopy has been used to investigate the friction coefficient of individual polymers adsorbed onto a solid support. The polymer chains were covalently attached to an AFM tip and were allowed to adsorb on a mica surface. Different polymers (ssDNA, polyallylamine) were chosen to cover a range of friction coefficients. During the experiment, the AFM tip was retracted in- and off-plane which results, depending on the chosen conditions, in a desorption of the polymer from the surface, a sliding across the surface, or a combination of both. Thus, the obtained force-extension spectra reveal detailed information on the mobility of a polymer chain on a surface under experimentally accessible conditions. This study demonstrates that absorbed polymers with comparable desorption forces may exhibit drastically different in plane mobility.