Adsorption/desorption-induced phase transformation in the self-assembled monolayers of an amphiphilic rod-coil block copolymer

Abstract

In the polymeric self-assembled monolayer of an amphiphilic rod-coil copolymer consisting of a planar-adsorbed rod-like block and an anchoring coil block, phase transformation from an isotropic to nematic monolayer and then to a crystalline monolayer occurs during adsorption of chains to the surface in solution, whereas the monolayer reorganizes to anisotropic surface micelles when immersed in a coil-selective solvent.