ADSORPTION BEHAVIOR OF END-FUNCTIONALIZED POLYSTYRENE FROM THETA-STATE

Adsorption behavior of end-functionalized polystyrene by iminium ion on porous glass has been examined at the theta condition of polymer over a wide range of molecular weight of monodispersed polystyrenes. It is evident that the amount of adsorption at the plateu level increased significantly by end-functionalization of the polymer, showing that a thick adsorption layer can be formed on the solid surface using these polymers. However, this trend gradually faded out with increasing the molecular weight and the amount of adsorption increased slowly as elapsed time increased. Competitive adsorption experiments between different molecular weight species has been carried out by using the gel permeation chromatography technique. A preference for the end-functionalized polymers was shown over the whole concentration region; the effect of end group (iminium ion) for the adsorption was strong. Furthermore, in the simultaneous adsorption of end-functionalized polymers with different molecular sizes, a special cooperative effect can be found, i.e., in the combination of high and low molecular weight species of end-functionalized polymers, a special enhancement of adsorption can be observed.