Effect of Side-Chain Carbonyl Groups on the Interface of Vinyl Polymers with Water

The nature of the polymer-water interface in the poly(methyl 2-propenyl ether) (PMPE)-water model system is investigated by sum-frequency generation spectroscopy, which at the moment gives the best depth resolution among available techniques. PMPE, synthesized via living cationic polymerization, is structurally similar to poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) except for lacking a carbonyl group. We here probe the polymer local conformation as well as the aggregation states of water at the interface. Comparing the results of our measurements to the PMMA-water system, the effect of a carbonyl group on the water structure at the interface is discussed. This knowledge should be crucial to the design and construction of highly functionalized polymer interfaces for bioapplications.