SPONTANEOUS BUCKLING INDUCED BY THE ADSORPTION OF CHARGED COPOLYMERS AT THE AIR-WATER-INTERFACE

We present results of the adsorption of charged diblock copolymers at the free interface between air and solution. These copolymers are wate r soluble and act as surfactants above some concentration. Through the rmodynamic and diffuse X-ray surface scattering measurements, we demon strate the influence of the concentration on the formed adsorbed layer . While sufficiently long copolymers adsorb by forming structures whic h do not deform the interface, short copolymers are shown to induce bu ckling of the interface due to interchain interactions.