Abstract
Ultrathin networks of itaconic acid copolymers and poly(allylamine) were produced by a Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique employing a double-chain amine as a monolayer template which was subsequently removed by extraction after thermal crosslinking. Itaconic acid copolymers used were copoly (itaconic acid-ethyl vinyl ether) and copoly (itaconic acid-n-butyl vinyl ether). The polyion-complexed monolayers of three components consisting of template amine, itaconic acid copolymer and poly (allylamine) were formed at the air-water interface. The Langmuir film properties have been studied by the surface pressure-area isotherm and fluorescence microscopy. The monolayers were transferred on solid substrates and were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Two-dimensional polymer networks were formed through imide or amide linkages by heat treatment under vacuum. The heat-treated films were extracted with chloroform after immersion in aq. sodium chloride to remove the template amines. SEM observation of a LB film on a porous fluorocarbon membrane filter with pore diameter of 0.1 μm showed covering of the pores by six layers in the polyion complex state.
