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Alignment of Extremely Long Single Polymer Chains by Exploiting Hydrodynamic Flow
Author(s) -
Otten Matthijs B. J.,
Ecker Christof,
Metselaar Gerald A.,
Rowan Alan E.,
Nolte Roeland J. M.,
Samorì Paolo,
Rabe Jürgen P.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
chemphyschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.016
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1439-7641
pISSN - 1439-4235
DOI - 10.1002/cphc.200300837
Subject(s) - polymer , mica , micrometer , muscovite , nanometre , flow (mathematics) , persistence length , scanning force microscopy , chemistry , polymer science , chemical physics , nanotechnology , analytical chemistry (journal) , materials science , chemical engineering , optics , chromatography , atomic force microscopy , composite material , physics , organic chemistry , mechanics , quartz , engineering
Lining up: Polyisocyanide derivatives bearing L ‐alanyl‐ D ‐alanine methyl ester side groups (PIAA) have been adsorbed on the surface of muscovite mica. Scanning force microscopy images reveal single polymer chains with contour lengths ranging from several hundred nanometers up to several micrometers. Their orientation on the micrometer scale is attributed to hydrodynamic flow during the sample preparation (see figure). These long and stiff polymers, which exhibit a persistence length of 76 nm if equilibrated on a surface, can possess an even higher anisometry when brought into nonequilibrium states.