Polymer Science Faculty Research
Title
Structure of Poly(methyl methacrylate) Chains Adsorbed on Sapphire Probed Using Infrared-Visible Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-16-2004
Abstract
We have studied the orientation of the train segments of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) adsorbed layer at the CCl4-sapphire interface using surface-sensitive IR-visible sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy. The SFG spectra of PMMA chains adsorbed on sapphire indicate ordered ester methyl groups. In comparison, we did not observe any significant contributions from the backbone methylene and alpha methyl groups, suggesting that these groups are disordered. No change in the structure of the adsorbed layer is observed upon cooling the solvent below the theta temperature; this is consistent with the picture of flat adsorbed chains on the surface. Interestingly, the orientation of the ester methyl groups of a spin-coated PMMA film at the PMMA-sapphire interface is similar to that of the same groups in the chains adsorbed from solution.
Publication Title
Langmuir
Volume
20
Issue
17
First Page
7183
Last Page
7188
Recommended Citation
Rao, Ashwin; Ranwalla, Hasnain; Varshney, Vikas; and Dhinojwala, Ali, "Structure of Poly(methyl methacrylate) Chains Adsorbed on Sapphire Probed Using Infrared-Visible Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy" (2004). Polymer Science Faculty Research. 58.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/polymerscience_ideas/58