Tethered Poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline) Chains: Temperature Effects on Layer Structure and Interactions Probed by AFM Experiments and Modeling
Thermoresponsive polymer layers on silica surfaces have been obtained by utilizing electrostatically driven adsorption of a cationic-nonionic diblock copolymer. The cationic block provides strong anchoring to the surface for the nonionic block of poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline), referred to as PIPOZ. The PIPOZ chain interacts favorably with water at low temperatures, but above 46 degrees C aqueous s