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Probing Molecular Interactions of Comb-type Polymers in Air/Water/Solids Interfaces
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- Author / Creator
- Zhang, Ling
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Over the past decade, comb-type copolymers have attracted much attention in polymer chemistry and physics, nanotechnology, bioengineering and industrial applications. Using a surface forces apparatus (SFA), the molecular and surface interactions of two different kinds of comb-type polymers, polystyrene-graft-polyethylene oxide (PS-g-PEO) and polycarboxylate ether (PCE), were investigated under different solution conditions. Long-range repulsive forces were measured between PS-g-PEO films which were due to the steric hindrance between swollen PEO brushes and could be well described by the Alexander–de Gennes (AdG) scaling theory. Molecular forces and rheology study of PCE-kaolinite suspension showed that PCE molecules could induce bridging forces between kaolinite surfaces at low polymer concentration while lead to steric repulsion at high concentration, affected by solution conditions (e.g., pH). The results provide important insights into fundamental understanding of molecular interaction mechanisms of comb-type polymers at air/water/solids interfaces and the development of novel functional polymers/coatings for engineering and biomedical applications.
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- Subjects / Keywords
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- Graduation date
- Fall 2012
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- Type of Item
- Thesis
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- Degree
- Master of Science
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- License
- This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.