The Effect of Molecular Structure on the Adsorption of PPO-PEO-PPO Triblock Copolymers on Solid Surfaces

Abstract:

This paper investigates the adsorption behavior of triblock copolymer Poly (propylene oxide)-poly (ethylene oxide)-poly (propylene oxide), PPO-PEO-PPO on silicon and iron surfaces by using the contact angle goniometer, spectroscopic ellipsometer and atomic force microscopy (AFM). After adsorption, the decrease of water contact angle was observed on each surface; and a larger reduction of water contact angle occurred on the surface covered by the copolymer film with longer and higher weight percent of hydrophilic PEO block. This means that the PEO block may be on the top of the adsorbed copolymer film. The film thickness measurement shows that the copolymer with longer and higher weight percent of PPO block forms a thicker film on the hydrophobic surface, which suggests that the hydrophobic PPO block of the copolymer in the aqueous solution plays the main role during the adsorption of PPO-PEO-PPO onto the hydrophobic surface. It has been found from the AFM results that the roughness of the surface decreased after adsorption and the smoother topography was observed on the surface adsorbed by a thicker adsorbed film.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volumes 773-774)
• Pages: 670-677
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.773-774.670
• Online since: November 2013
• Authors: Bing Jing Lin*, Hong Tao Zhu, A. Kiet Tieu, Bu Yung Kosasih, Gerry Triani
• Keywords: Adsorption, AFM, Contact Angle, Ellipsometry, Pluronic

References

[1] S. Lee, R. Iten, M. Muller, N. D. Spencer, Influence of molecular architecture on the adsorption of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) on PDMS surfaces and implications for aqueous lubrication, Macromolecules. 37 (2004) 8349-8356.

DOI: 10.1021/ma049076w

[2] Y. B. Liou, R. Y. Tsay, Adsorption of PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers on a gold surface, J Taiwan Inst Chem E. 42 (2011) 533-540.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2010.09.011

[3] F. Tiberg, M. Malmsten, P. Linse, B. Lindman, Kinetic and Equilibrium Aspects of Block Copolymer Adsorption, Langmuir. 7 (1991) 2723-2730.

DOI: 10.1021/la00059a053

[4] M. Malmsten, P. Linse, T. Cosgrove, Adsorption of Peo Ppo Peo Block Copolymers at Silica, Macromolecules. 25 (1992) 2474-2481.

DOI: 10.1021/ma00035a028

[5] H. W. Shi, S. J. Zhang, R. Steitz, J. Q. Chen, S. Uredat, G. H. Findenegg, Surface coatings of PEO-PPO-PEO block copolymers on native and poly styrene-coated silicon wafers, Colloid Surface A. 246 (2004) 81-89.

DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2004.07.019

[6] P. Brandani, P. Stroeve, Adsorption and desorption of PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers on a self-assembled hydrophobic surface, Macromolecules. 36 (2003) 9492-9501.

DOI: 10.1021/ma0342675

[7] X. Liu, D. Wu, S. Turgman-Cohen, J. Genzer, T. W. Theyson, O. J. Rojas, Adsorption of a Nonionic Symmetric Triblock Copolymer on Surfaces with Different Hydrophobicity, Langmuir. 26 (2010) 9565-9574.

DOI: 10.1021/la100156a

[8] R. J. Green, S. Tasker, J. Davies, M. C. Davies, C. J. Roberts, S. J. B. Tendler, Adsorption of PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers at the solid/liquid interface: A surface plasmon resonance study, Langmuir. 13 (1997) 6510-6515.

DOI: 10.1021/la962098u

[9] P. Brandani, P. Stroeve, Kinetics of adsorption and Desorption of PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers on a self-assembled hydrophobic surface, Macromolecules. 36 (2003) 9502-9509.

DOI: 10.1021/ma034268x

[10] A. R. Statz, J. H. Kuang, C. L. Ren, A. E. Barron, I. Szleifer, P. B. Messersmith, Experimental and theoretical investigation of chain length and surface coverage on fouling of surface grafted polypeptoids, Biointerphases. 4 (2009) Fa22-Fa32.

DOI: 10.1116/1.3115103

[11] J. L. Dalsin, L. J. Lin, S. Tosatti, J. Voros, M. Textor, P. B. Messersmith, Protein resistance of titanium oxide surfaces modified by biologically inspired mPEG-DOPA, Langmuir. 21 (2005) 640-646.

DOI: 10.1021/la048626g

[12] K. J. Rosenberg, T. Goren, R. Crockett, N. D. Spencer, Load-Induced Transitions in the Lubricity of Adsorbed Poly(L-lysine)-g-dextran as a Function of Polysaccharide Chain Density, Acs Appl Mater Inter. 3 (2011) 3020-3025.

DOI: 10.1021/am200521m

[13] L. M. Feller, S. Cerritelli, M. Textor, J. A. Hubbell, S. G. P. Tosatti, Influence of poly(propylene sulfide-block-ethylene glycol) di-and triblock copolymer architecture on the formation of molecular adlayers on gold surfaces and their effect on protein resistance: A candidate for surface modification in biosensor research, Macromolecules. 38 (2005) 10503-10510.

DOI: 10.1021/ma051424m

[14] Q. Lin, E. E. Meyer, M. Tadmor, J. N. Israelachvili, T. L. Kuhl, Measurement of the long- and short-range hydrophobic attraction between surfactant-coated surfaces, Langmuir. 21 (2005) 251-255.

DOI: 10.1021/la048317q

[15] Y. Li, H. Y. Liu, J. L. Song, O. J. Rojas, J. P. Hinestroza, Adsorption and Association of a Symmetric PEO-PPO-PEO Triblock Copolymer on Polypropylene, Polyethylene, and Cellulose Surfaces, Acs Appl Mater Inter. 3 (2011) 2349-2357.

DOI: 10.1021/am200264r