Effect of solvent power on the adsorption of polystyrene onto a metal surface

Abstract

AbstractThe adsorption of linear polystyrenes from cyclohexane solutions onto a chrome plate of 35 (the theta temperature), 40, and 45°C was studied by ellipsometry. The adsorbance decreases with increasing temperature, while the extension of the adsorbed polymer layer increases. The adsorbance is almost independent of the molecular weight at these temperatures. The slope of a double logarithmic plot of extension versus molecular weight is 0.5 at the theta temperature, whereas at the higher temperatures the slope is a little larger. Both the adsorbance and the extension of the adsorbed layer change reversibly over a cycle of temperature change, indicating that a reversible conformational change has occurred. The expansion factor αt of the adsorbed layer is compared with the theoretical predictions of Hoeve and of Jones and Richmond. The expansion factor αt according to Hoeve's theory, was smaller than the measured value, whereas the expansion calculated by the Jones–Richmond theory is much larger than the measured value. It is concluded that the tail portions of adsorbed chains predominantly govern the extension of the adsorbed layer.