Abstract
This study presents a novel approach utilizing total internal reflection microscopy (TIRM) to effectively characterize the swelling and collapse of polymer brushes in aqueous solutions. Zwitterionic poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) (PCBMA) and nonionic poly[oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate] (POEGMA) brushes are chosen as model systems. By investigation of an intriguing theory-experiment discrepancy observed during the measurement of near-wall hindered diffusion, valuable insights into the compressibility of polymer brushes are obtained, revealing their conformational information in aqueous solution. The results demonstrate that zwitterionic PCBMA brushes exhibit minimal antipolyelectrolyte effects in 0.1-10 mM NaCl solution but undergo significant swelling with increasing pH. On the other hand, nonionic POEGMA brushes exhibit similar responses to ionic strength as weak polyelectrolyte brushes. These unexpected findings enhance our understanding of polymer brushes beyond classical theories. The TIRM-based approach proves to be effective for characterizing polymer brushes and other soft nanomaterials.