IGC study of surface properties of adsorbed styrene/methacrylic acid diblock polymers

An inverse gas chromatographic study has been carried out on a styrene/methacrylic acid diblock polymer adsorbed on particulates of varying acid/base interaction potential. Acid/base interactions between polymer and substrate were shown to result in the selective adsorption of copolymer moieties, leading to interphase surface compositions that varied with thickness. At higher interphase thicknesses, bulk and surface compositions became similar; however, depending on the interaction potential of the adsorbent, the interphase thicknesses at this point varied from 100 to 1000 angstrom. Adsorbed diblock interphases are to be considered nonisotropic in local composition and molecular conformation. These properties may make possible designing diblock interphases to meet specific compatibilization requirements in polymer composites.