Organization of tethered polyoxazoline polymer brushes at the air/water interface

Surface monolayers of short chain poly(methyl oxazoline) (PMeOx) attached t o diacylglycerol have been investigated by X-ray and neutron reflectivity i n pure systems and in binary mixtures with the unmodified phospholipid DMPC at the air/water interface. Reflectivity curves of pure PMeOx and its mixt ures with DMPC indicate an extended conformation of the polymer independent of the available lateral area and pressure. An almost linear increase in t he thickness of the polymer layer is found with increasing lateral pressure pi. The thickness of the hydrophobic slab within the surface monolayers de creases continuously upon addition of PMeOx to DMPC. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scie nce B.V. All rights reserved.