AFM images of 40t sample

Figure 5.4-3 AFM image of 40t sample after 10 hours of toluene wash.

As the initial reaction time was increased, many trends were observed in the polymer brush samples. The first relationship developed was an increase in the contact angle of water, the hydrophobic nature, of the surface as the reaction time increased. Also, an increase in the overall film thickness, as determined by ellipsometry, and an increase in the height, as demonstrated from AFM, measurements provide strong evidence that extending reaction time increases the grafting density of the polymer brush. Also, the AFM images of the series of the lOt, 20t, 40t, and lOOt samples showed an increase in the horizontal feature size of the polymer brushes. 

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