Macromolecular Chain Structures of Atactic Poly(methyl methacrylate) Visualized on Hydrophilized Graphene Surfaces by Atomic Force Microscopy

Surface treatment of cleaved graphene surfaces with UV/ozone exposure, O-2 reactive ion etching, and Ar ion milling was studied by contact angle measurements and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The cleaved graphene surfaces were super-hydrophilized to reveal a static contact angle of <5 degrees for water by the physical bombardment and chemical oxidation of oxygen-reactive ions in the plasma phase. The surface oxidization enabled the visualization of isolated atactic poly(methyl methacrylate) chains that were spin-cast onto the hydrophilic graphene surfaces by AFM.