CHEMICAL ATTACHMENT OF POLYSTYRENE-BLOCK-POLY(METHACRYLIC ACID) MICELLES ON A SILICON-NITRIDE SURFACE

Polystyrene-bloch-poly(methacrylic acid) micelles were chemically atta ched to an activated silicon nitride surface using a 1-(3-(dimethylami no)propyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide methiodide coupling reaction. It has be en found that this attachment method is very efficient from mixed 1,4- dioxane-water solvents and less efficient in purely aqueous media. The modified surfaces were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy(AFM). Experimental conditions for surface attachment have been found such that no changes in micellar size or po lydispersity occur. The SEM and AFM images allow an additional method for the evaluation of size distributions of micelles. A comparison wit h the quasi-elastic light scattering data from solutions shows that th e distribution functions based on the SEM and AFM data for dried micel les fixed on the surface correlate reasonably well with the light scat tering data on micelles in solutions.