Properties of Hydrophobic Polymer Melts Tethered to the Water Surface As Determined with in Situ X-ray Reflectivity

Insoluble monolayers of hydrophobic polymers with low glass transition temperature (perfluoropolyethers, polyisoprenes) and a single ionic head group (carboxylic acid, sulfonate) have been characterized at the air/water interface via X-ray reflectivity measurements. The films are considerably thicker (30−420 A) than conventional Langmuir monolayers of low molecular weight substances or polymers with surface active repeat units. The thickness is inversely proportional to the area per head group and is in accordance with a model assuming a solvent-free hydrophobic layer of the same density as the bulk material.