Shear and Frictional Interactions between Adsorbed Polymer Layers in a Good Solvent

Abstract

The forces between layers of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), of molecular weights M = 37 × 103 (PEO37) and M = 112 × 103 (PEO112) adsorbed onto smooth, curved solid (mica) surfaces across the good solvent toluene have been determined using a surface force balance (SFB). The SFB used is capable of measuring both normal interactions Fn(D) as a function of surface separation D and, with extreme sensitivity, shear or frictional forces Fs(D,vs) between them as they slide past each other at velocity vs. The Fn(D) profiles are closely similar to those measured in earlier studies between adsorbed PEO layers. The shear or frictional forces between the sliding PEO-bearing surfaces are very low up to moderate compressions of the adsorbed layers (local pressures up to ca. 105 N m-2), corresponding to effective friction coefficients μeff = (Fs/Fn) of order 0.003 or less. This is attributed to the fluid interfacial layer between the adsorbed layers resulting from their weak mutual interpenetration. At higher loads Fs incre...