Vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy on polyelectrolyte multilayers : Effect of molecular surface structure on macroscopic wetting properties

• Adsorption of a single layer of molecules on a surface, or even a reorientation of already present molecules, can significantly affect the surface properties of a material. In this study, vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy (VSFS) has been used to study the change in molecular structure at the solid-air interface following thermal curing of polyelectrolyte multilayers of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) and poly(acrylic acid). Significant changes in the VSF spectra were observed after curing. These changes were accompanied by a distinct increase in the static water contact angle, showing how the properties of the layer-by-layer molecular structure are controlled not just by the polyelectrolyte in the outermost layer but ultimately by the orientation of the chemical constituents in the outermost layers.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Annan kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Other Chemistry Topics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Curing

Interferometry

Molecular structure

Molecules

Multilayers

Phase interfaces

Polyelectrolytes

Chemical constituents

Molecular surfaces

Poly(acrylic acid )

Polyallylamine hydrochloride

Polyelectrolyte multilayer

Solid-air interface

Vibrational sum-frequency spectroscopies

Wetting property

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)