The properties of bulk and adsorbed polyethylene-co-acrylic acid (PEA) rand
om copolymers were characterized by solid-state NMR and vibrational spectro
scopy. FTIR-PAS (Fourier transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy) mea
surements show that the copolymers are chemisorbed to zirconia surfaces via
the carboxylic acid sticker groups. The chain mobility, conformation, and
morphology of bulk and adsorbed PEA were studied by C-13 CP-MAS, 2D WISE, a
nd H-1 spin diffusion NMR experiments. The effect of the copolymer loading
and acrylic acid content on these properties was examined. Whereas adsorbed
PEA with a 5% w/w acrylic acid content contain transoid chain segments at
all loadings, samples with higher acrylic acid contents (15 % w/w) only dis
play an all-trans component at higher loadings where unbound acid groups ar
e present.