The dendrimer end group modification of a series of PEO-PAMAM linear-dendri
tic diblock copolymers to various chemical functionalities is described. Th
e molecular weight of the PEO block was 2000, and the dendrimer generations
used were one to four. The amphiphilic behavior of the modified dit,locks
was studied by spreading monolayers of the material at the air-water interf
ace of a Langmuir trough and recording the pressure-area isotherm. Stearate
-terminated diblocks were found to give stable monolayers which formed cond
ensed phases on compression. The limiting area per molecule in the condense
d phase measured from the pressure-area isotherm suggests interesting effec
ts of dendrimer morphology, curvature, and size on the organization of the
diblock monolayer at the air-water interface. Physisorbed films of the dibl
ocks with third and fourth generation dendrimer blocks were made by transfe
rring the diblock monolayer onto hydrophobically functionalized surfaces an
d are reported here for the first time. Films made by transferring at high
surface pressures were continuous, free of holes, and relatively smooth. Z-
type multilayer films were formed for both of the diblocks studied.