ULTRATHIN POLYMER NETWORKS OF ITACONIC ACID COPOLYMERS AND POLY(ALLYLAMINE) BY THE LANGMUIR-BLODGETT TECHNIQUE

Ultrathin networks of itaconic acid copolymers and poly(allylamine) we re produced by a Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique employing a double-c hain amine as a monolayer template which was subsequently removed by e xtraction after thermal crosslinking. Itaconic acid copolymers used we re copoly (itaconic acid-ethyl vinyl ether) and copoly (itaconic acid- n-butyl vinyl ether). The polyion-complexed monolayers of three compon ents consisting of template amine, itaconic acid copolymer and poly (a llylamine) were formed at the air-water interface. The Langmuir film p roperties have been studied by the surface pressure-area isotherm and fluorescence microscopy. The monolayers were transferred on solid subs trates and were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectr on spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Two-dimension al polymer networks were formed through imide or amide linkages by hea t treatment under vacuum. The heat-treated films were extracted with c hloroform after immersion in aq. sodium chloride to remove the templat e amines. SEM observation of a LB film on a porous fluorocarbon membra ne filter with pore diameter of 0.1 mu m showed covering of the pores by six layers in the polyion complex state.