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Flow-enhanced epitaxial ordering of brush-like macromolecules on graphite

Publication ,  Journal Article
Xu, H; Sheiko, SS; Shirvanyants, D; Rubinstein, M; Beers, KL; Matyjaszewski, K
Published in: Langmuir
2006

Long-range orientational order in monolayers of brush-like macromolecules was achieved during spreading of a polymer melt on the surface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. The combination of wetting-induced flow and epitaxial adsorption of poly(n-butylacrylate) side chains on graphite led to the formation of large domains of uniaxially oriented rodlike molecules. The domain size varied from ca. 1 to 10 microm which is noticeably larger than the submicrometer-sized mosaic domains typically observed upon adsorption from solution. The increase in the degree of order is attributed to the flow-enhanced diffusion of the macromolecules within spreading monolayers which facilitates the epitaxial alignment of the large macromolecules. The diffusion coefficient was shown to increase linearly with the spreading rate. Even though the ordering occurred during flow, no correlation was observed between the molecular orientation and the flow direction. Thus, the role of the flow was not to induce the molecular orientation but to facilitate the intrinsic ordering process. This finding can inspire and lead to new strategies for constructing large scale ordered structures on surfaces.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Langmuir

DOI

ISSN

0743-7463

Publication Date

2006

Related Subject Headings

  • Chemical Physics
 

Citation

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Xu, H., Sheiko, S. S., Shirvanyants, D., Rubinstein, M., Beers, K. L., & Matyjaszewski, K. (2006). Flow-enhanced epitaxial ordering of brush-like macromolecules on graphite. Langmuir. https://doi.org/10.1021/la052163c
Xu, Hui, Sergei S. Sheiko, David Shirvanyants, Michael Rubinstein, Kathryn L. Beers, and Krzysztof Matyjaszewski. “Flow-enhanced epitaxial ordering of brush-like macromolecules on graphite.” Langmuir, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1021/la052163c.
Xu H, Sheiko SS, Shirvanyants D, Rubinstein M, Beers KL, Matyjaszewski K. Flow-enhanced epitaxial ordering of brush-like macromolecules on graphite. Langmuir. 2006;
Xu, Hui, et al. “Flow-enhanced epitaxial ordering of brush-like macromolecules on graphite.” Langmuir, 2006. Manual, doi:10.1021/la052163c.
Xu H, Sheiko SS, Shirvanyants D, Rubinstein M, Beers KL, Matyjaszewski K. Flow-enhanced epitaxial ordering of brush-like macromolecules on graphite. Langmuir. 2006;
Journal cover image

Published In

Langmuir

DOI

ISSN

0743-7463

Publication Date

2006

Related Subject Headings

  • Chemical Physics