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Polymer Brushes for Molecular Transport - Paul Braun Research ...

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polymer regions, and possible explanations are rotational diffusion and a combination of fast<br />

surface diffusion and slow bulk diffusion.<br />

PNIPAAm chains are tethered onto silica particles via surface-initiated polymerization.<br />

Thermal annealing slightly improved the crystallinity of the colloidal assembly. Video<br />

microscopy of the two-dimensional diffusion of these colloids suggested that PNIPAAm brushes<br />

greatly improve the stability of the colloidal system. A three-fold increase in diffusion<br />

coefficient is observed when the temperature is increased from 22 ºC to 39 ºC. The LCST<br />

transition of PNIPAAm plays an important role in the diffusion of the colloids, and the<br />

interdigitation between PNIPAAm chains may have slowed down the colloidal diffusion at room<br />

temperature.

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