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Simple Method for the Stretching and Alignment of Single Adsorbed Synthetic Polycations
Author(s) -
Bocharova Vera,
Kiriy Anton,
Stamm Manfred,
Stoffelbach Francois,
Jérôme Robert,
Detrembleur Christophe
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.200500490
Subject(s) - macromolecule , mica , adsorption , molar mass , atomic force microscopy , materials science , resolution (logic) , chemical engineering , chemical physics , nanotechnology , chemistry , polymer , organic chemistry , composite material , biochemistry , artificial intelligence , computer science , engineering
Spin‐coating of isolated positively charged macromolecules onto mica in the presence of octylamine was found to be a simple and general method of stretching and aligning the macromolecular chains. The contour length and molar mass for the stretched macromolecules can be directly measured by atomic force microscopy, which makes this method a very useful analytical tool. Moreover, the molecular height is increased by co‐deposition with octylamine, which drastically improves the molecular resolution and allows even ultrathin polycations to be visualized. The reason for the key role of the octylamine is found in the formation of an ultrathin liquidlike alkylamine film, which reduces the surface energy of mica and weakens the interactions between the surface and the charged macromolecules.