Calibrating lateral displacement sensitivity of AFM by stick-slip on stiff, amorphous surfaces.

We calibrate the lateral mode AFM (LFM) by determining the position-sensitive photodetector (PSPD) signal dependency on the lateral tip displacement, which is analogous to the constant-compliance region in normal-force calibration. By stick-slip on stiff, amorphous surfaces (silica or glass), the lateral tip displacement is determined accurately using the feedback loop control of AFM system. The sufficiently high contact stiffness between the Si AFM tip and stiff, amorphous surfaces substantially reduces the error of PSPD signal dependency on the lateral tip displacement.

Fast and controlled fabrication of porous graphene oxide: application of AFM tapping for mechano-chemistry.

This paper describes a novel method to fabricate porous graphene oxide (PGO) from GO by exposure to oxygen plasma. Compared to other methods to fabricate PGO described so far, e.g.

Near-second-order transition in confined living-polymer solutions.

We analyze a near-second-order transition occurring in solutions of living polymers confined by two parallel surfaces in equilibrium with a reservoir solution. The molecular self-consistent field theory in the regime of weak adsorption or depletion is mapped to phenomenological Landau theory, where the order parameter is the average degree of polymerization or, equivalently, the normalized chain-end concentration. The distance between two surfaces at which the transition occurs scales as ℓ(c)(2)|c| where ℓ(c) is the correlation length of the polymer solution in the reservoir and c(-1) is de Gennes adsorption length.

Formation of polyelectrolyte multilayers: ionic strengths and growth regimes.

This article presents a study of layer-by-layer (LbL) formation of poly-electrolyte multilayers (PEMs). Upon increasing ionic strength LbL growth patterns vary from linear for the lowest salt concentrations ([NaCl] = 0, 0.001, and 0.

Interacting living polymers confined between two surfaces.

We present predictions on the equilibrium behavior of solutions of living polymers confined in a gap between surfaces, including the ensuing potential of mean force between those surfaces (the disjoining potential). We highlight the occurrence of a transition upon narrowing the gap, which arises from a cooperative simultaneous increase of the local density and degree of polymerization. At this transition, many properties of the confined solution, including the disjoining potential, change by orders of magnitude over a minute change of the surface separation.

Polypeptide nanoribbon hydrogels assembled through multiple supramolecular interactions.

We investigated the formation of nanoribbon hydrogels in a mixed system of zinc ions, bis(ligand)s, and triblock peptide copolymers. Using a combination of experimental techniques: dynamic light scattering, cryo-transmission electron microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering and circular dichroism, we arrived at a model for the formation of nanoribbon hydrogels in which well-defined nanoribbons are formed out of multiple supramolecular interactions: (1) metal coordination that yields supramolecular polyelectrolytes; (2) electrostatic complexation between the supramolecular polyelectrolytes and the oppositely charged blocks of the peptide copolymers; (3) hydrogen bond and (4) hydrophobic interactions that support the secondary and ternary structure of the ribbons; (5) van der Waals interactions that enable bundling of the ribbons.

Comprehensive theory for star-like polymer micelles; combining classical nucleation and polymer brush theory.

A comprehensive theory is proposed that combines classical nucleation and polymer brush theory to describe star-like polymer micelles. With a minimum of adjustable parameters, the model predicts properties such as critical micelle concentrations and micellar size distributions. The validity of the present theory is evidenced in direct comparison to experiments; this revealed that the proportionality constant in the Daoud-Cotton model is of the order of unity and that the star-limit is valid down to relatively short corona chains.

Stability of complex coacervate core micelles containing metal coordination polymer.

We report on the stability of complex coacervate core micelles, i.e., C3Ms (or PIC, BIC micelles), containing metal coordination polymers.

Brownian particles in transient polymer networks.

We discuss the thermal motion of colloidal particles in transient polymer networks. For particles that are physically bound to the surrounding chains, light-scattering experiments reveal that the submillisecond dynamics changes from diffusive to Rouse-like upon crossing the network formation threshold. Particles that are not bound do not show such a transition.

Rouse dynamics of colloids bound to polymer networks.

We present experimental evidence of a transition in the short-time Brownian motion of colloids from diffusive to subdiffusive, Rouse-like. This transition is seen for particles that are bound, through physical adsorption, to transient polymer networks. The characteristic Rouse scaling of the mean square particle displacement with radical t, found in the experiments, is rationalized using an analytical bead-spring model of a large particle anchored to a set of polymer chains.

Capillary adhesion in the limit of saturation: thermodynamics, self-consistent field modeling and experiment.

We introduce a simple thermodynamic argument for capillary adhesion forces, for various geometries, in the limit of saturation of the bulk phase. For one specific geometry (i.e.

Wormlike aggregates from a supramolecular coordination polymer and a diblock copolymer.

The formation of wormlike micelles in mixed systems of a supramolecular coordination polymer Zn-L2EO4 and a diblock copolymer P2MVP41-b-PEO205 is investigated by light scattering and Cryo-TEM. By direct mixing at a stoichiometric charge ratio, the above mixtures proved to be capable of formation of spherical micelles with a radius of about 25 nm (Yan et al. Angew.

Characteristic differences in the formation of complex coacervate core micelles from neodymium and zinc-based coordination polymers.

In this paper we compare the formation of complex coacervate core micelles (C3Ms) from two different tricompontent mixtures, namely neodymium, the bisligand L2EO4 and the poly(cation)-block-poly(neutral) diblock copolymer P2MVP41-b-PEO205, and zinc, L2EO4 and P2MVP41-b-PEO205 mixed systems. Three sets of titration experiments were carried out for each system: (i) titration of diblock copolymer P2MVP41-b-PEO205 with the stoichiometric mixture of metal ions and bisligands, (ii) titration of a mixture of diblock copolymer and bisligand with metal ions, and (iii) titration of a mixture of diblock copolymer and metal ions with bisligands. In all the above three cases, micelles are found to form either in a broad range of charge ratios or in a broad range of metal/bisligand ratios.

Monte Carlo study of supramolecular polymer fractionation: selective removal of chain stoppers by phase separation.

Supramolecular polymers consist of bifunctional monomers that join and break reversibly. Supramolecular polymer solutions are often polluted by monofunctional contaminants, which drastically reduce the chain-forming capabilities of the system. Unfortunately, the monofunctional contaminants are difficult to remove due to the physical and chemical resemblance with the bifunctional counterparts.

Linear rheology of water-soluble reversible neodymium(III) coordination polymers.

The rheology of reversible coordination polymer networks in aqueous solution is studied. The polymers are formed by neodymium(III) ions and bifunctional ligands, consisting of two pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate groups connected at the 4-positions by an ethylene oxide spacer. Neodymium(III) ions can bind three of these terdendate ligand groups.

Wetting Behavior in Colloid-Polymer Mixtures at Different Substrates.

We present experimental observations on wetting phenomena in depletion interaction driven, phase separated colloidal dispersions. The contact angle of the colloidal liquid-gas interface at a solid substrate was determined for a series of compositions. Upon approach to the critical point, a transition occurs from partial to complete wetting.

Surface forces, supramolecular polymers, and inversion symmetry.

The effects of supramolecular equilibrium polymers on surface forces are studied by both a phenomenological Landau type analysis and a molecular model based on a Bethe-Guggenheim approximation. We point out that surface forces brought about by equilibrium polymers may be completely different from what can be found with "ordinary" polymers. The new feature is the role of inversion (a)symmetry or "directionality" of the associating unit molecules ("monomers").