Side chain effect of rodlike polyglutamate, poly(gamma-stearyl alpha, L-glutamate)

Long side chains of polyglutamate were introduced to reduce the melting tem perature and to increase the solubility of the polymer in many organic solv ents. The side chains, however, interdigitate each other and generate inhom ogeneous monolayers at the air/water interface or different domains in bulk . Intercrossing of the side chain was investigated with temperature gradien t Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The surface area/monomer and surface pressur e increased with temperature for the range of 23-50 degreesC. However, only variable temperature FT-IR shows the conformational change after the side chain melting at 60 degreesC. The spacing of the rod and the side chain int ercrossing were calculated from these experimental data and compared with s hort side chain polyglutamate polymers. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.