The morphological evolution of poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) solution-grown single crystals during annealing was studied using hot-stage atomic force microscopy. Their morphology changed with increasing temperature and annealing time. The annealing behavior and melting temperature were found to be affected by the substrate. Morphological changes occurred at a much lower temperature on an amorphous carbon film than that on a mica surface. Moreover, the pattern of morphological evolution of the single crystals on a carbon film was different from that on a mica surface. Since the PBS melt had a larger contact angle on the mica surface, these differences in the melting behavior were ascribed to the different interfacial interactions between the chain-folded surface of the single crystal and the substrate.

Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PHEMA-b-PNIPAM) was prepared by controlled surface-initiated ATRP from silicon substrates, and the resulting block copolymers were successfully converted into the corresponding PSEMA-b-PNIPAM by esterification of the hydroxy groups on the PHEMA block using excess of succinic anhydride. The PSEMA-b-PNIPAM block copolymer brushes respond to both temperature and pH stimuli. The double-responsive behavior of the block copolymer brushes in solution was investigated by height imaging and force–distance measurements of AFM. The results clearly show the responsive behavior of the smart block copolymer brushes.

A functional coil–rod–coil triblock copolymer containing a terfluorene unit as the rigid segment and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) as the flexible block was successfully synthesized via reversible addition–fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization using terfluorene-based dithioester as the RAFT agent. The temperature-responsive optical properties were investigated with the aid of dynamic light scattering and fluorescence techniques. Additionally, the relationship between the optical properties and the reversible phase transition of the doping system formed by blending the copolymer with tetraphenylporphine tetrasulfonic acid was studied. Above the lower critical solution temperature, the energy transfer efficiency decreased as a result of the globule–to–coil transition from PNIPAAm segments. The result indicates that these copolymers have a potential to be used as responsive fluorescent probes in facile detection of dye-labeled biopolymers.

Eine Atomtransfer-Radikalpolymerisation an der Oberfläche wurde verwendet, um einen Film ausgerichteter Kohlenstoff-Nanoröhren (CNTs) mit Poly(N-isopropylacrylamid) (PNIPAAm) zu modifizieren (siehe TEM-Bild). Makroskopische (Benetzbarkeit) und mikroskopische Eigenschaften (Durchmesser und Rigidität einer einzelnen Nanoröhre) des entstehenden Films hängen von der Temperatur ab.

Feeling the heat: Surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization was used to modify a film of aligned carbon nanotubes with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (see TEM image). A distinct temperature responsiveness is found for both the macroscopic (wettability) and the microscopic (the diameter and rigidity of a single carbon nanotube) properties of the resulting film.