Macromolecules, Vol.29, No.3, 1000-1005, 1996
Adsorption of Comb Polymers
The adsorption of comb polymers is studied using a self-consistent field theory. It is found that adsorbed comb polymers form thin layers as compared to linear polymers due to the absence of long dangling tails. The segments in the backbone of the comb adsorb preferentially over the tooth segments, as the end segments of the teeth can gain entropy protruding into the solution. This leads to a brushlike behavior and a depletion zone adjacent to the adsorbed layer if the teeth are long compared to the backbone spacing. The brushlike behavior is more pronounced in the case of a comb copolymer with an adsorbing backbone, but nonadsorbing teeth.