Diblock copolymer membranes investigated by single-particle tracking.
We report a study on particle diffusion in membranes formed from polystyrene-block-poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PDMAEMA) diblock copolymers. The membranes were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and by single-particle tracking employing carboxy-functionalized polystyrene beads loaded with a fluorophore as spectroscopic probes. From the diffusion trajectories we extracted the domain size distribution of the membranes and the local diffusion coefficient of the beads as a function of the size of the beads. The single-particle tracking data revealed that the effective domain sizes of the membranes are reduced with respect to the domain sizes obtained from scanning electron microscopy, reflecting the confined diffusion of the probe particles due to interactions with the domain walls. This is corroborated by a clear correlation between the diffusion coefficient of an individual polystyrene bead and the size of the actual domain to which it is confined.
Experimental Physics IV and Bayreuth Institute for Macromolecular Research, University of Bayreuth, D-95440, Bayreuth, Germany.
Chandrashekara R
CR
Haramagatti
Felix H
FH
Schacher
Axel H E
AH
Müller
Jürgen
J
Köhler
D004058:Diffusion; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009757:Nylons / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
D008689:Methacrylates; D009757:Nylons; D011108:Polymers; D011137:Polystyrenes; C407037:poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate); D014867:Water