Free-Standing Black Films of Polymers: A Model of Charged Brushes in Interaction

P. Guenoun (1) , A. Schalchli (1) , D. Sentenac (1) , J.W. Mays , J.J. Benattar (1)

1 SPEC - UMR3680 - Service de physique de l'état condensé

Free standing black films drawn from a diblock copolymer aqueous solution were studied by X-ray reflectivity. Due to the hydrophilic part of the copolymer which is a highly charged polyelectrolyte (PSSNa), such films form two opposing charged brushes. Above a determined threshold the thickness of the double brush weakly decreases as electrolyte is added. These results are in good agreement with recent mean-field theories.

Domaines: Physique Générale [physics.gen-ph]

P. Guenoun, A. Schalchli, D. Sentenac, J.W. Mays, J.J. Benattar. Free-Standing Black Films of Polymers: A Model of Charged Brushes in Interaction. Physical Review Letters, 1995, 74, pp.3628-3631. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevLett.74.3628⟩. ⟨hal-00125943⟩