Onset of tethered chain overcrowding.
We proposed an approach to precisely control the density of tethered chains on solid substrates using PEO-b-PS and PLLA-b-PS. As the crystallization temperature Tx increased, the PEO or PLLA lamellar crystal thickness d(L) increased as well as the reduced tethering density sigma; of the PS chains. The onset of tethered PS chains overcrowding in solution occurs at sigma(*) approximately 3.7-3.8 as evidenced by an abrupt change in the slope between (d(L))(-1) and Tx. This results from the extra surface free energy created by the tethered chain that starts to affect the growth barrier of the crystalline blocks.
Chen
William Y
WY
Maurice Morton Institute, Department of Polymer Science, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325-3909, USA.
Zheng
Joseph X
JX
Cheng
Stephen Z D
SZ
Li
Christopher Y
CY
Huang
Ping
P
Zhu
Lei
L
Xiong
Huiming
H
Ge
Qing
Q
Guo
Ya
Y
Quirk
Rodric P
RP
Lotz
Bernard
B
Deng
Lingfeng
L
Wu
Chi
C
Thomas
Edwin L
EL