Eur. Phys. J. E 8, 321-330 (2002)
DOI: 10.1140/epje/i2002-10016-2

Adsorption of polyampholytes on charged surfaces

F. Ozon, J.-M. di Meglio and J.-F. Joanny

Institut Charles Sadron (CNRS UPR 022), 6 rue Boussingault, 67083 Strasbourg Cedex, France

(Received 22 February 2002 and Received in final form 23 April 2002)

Abstract
We have studied the adsorption of neutral polyampholytes on model charged surfaces that have been characterized by contact angle and streaming current measurements. The loop size distributions of adsorbed polymer chains have been obtained using atomic-force microscopy (AFM) and compared to recent theoretical predictions. We find a qualitative agreement with theory; the higher the surface charge, the smaller the number of monomers in the adsorbed layer. We propose an original scenario for the adsorption of polyampholytes on surfaces covered with both neutral long-chain and charged short-chain thiols.

PACS
82.37.Gk - STM and AFM manipulations of a single molecule.
82.35.Gh - Polymers on surfaces; adhesion.


© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag 2002