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    Exploring the colloid-to-polymer transition for ultra-low crosslinked microgels from three to two dimensions

    Year: 2019

    Journal: Nat. Commun., Volume 10, 1-Mar

    Authors: Scotti, A.; Bochenek, S.; Brugnoni, M.; Fernandez-Rodriguez, M. A.; Schulte, M. F.; Houston, J. E.; Gelissen, A. P. H.; Potemkin, I. I.; Isa, L.; Richtering, W.

    Organizations: Alexander von Humboldt FoundationAlexander von Humboldt Foundation; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)German Research Foundation (DFG) [SFB 985]; Swiss National Science FoundationSwiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) [PP00P2_144646/1, PP00P2_172913/1]; Government of the Russian Federation [02.A03.21.0011]; International Helmholtz Research School of Biophysics and Soft Matter (IHRS BioSoft)

    Microgels are solvent-swollen nano- and microparticles that show prevalent colloidal-like behavior despite their polymeric nature. Here we study ultra-low crosslinked poly(N-iso-propylacrylamide) microgels (ULC), which can behave like colloids or flexible polymers depending on dimensionality, compression or other external stimuli. Small-angle neutron scattering shows that the structure of the ULC microgels in bulk aqueous solution is characterized by a density profile that decays smoothly from the center to a fuzzy surface. Their phase behavior and rheological properties are those of soft colloids. However, when these microgels are confined at an oil-water interface, their behavior resembles that of flexible macromolecules. Once monolayers of ultra-low crosslinked microgels are compressed, deposited on solid substrate and studied with atomic-force microscopy, a concentration-dependent topography is observed. Depending on the compression, these microgels can behave as flexible polymers, covering the substrate with a uniform film, or as colloidal microgels leading to a monolayer of particles.
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