Extracting a single polyethylene oxide chain from a single crystal by a combination of atomic force microscopy imaging and single-molecule force spectroscopy: toward the investigation of molecular interactions in their condensed states
Liu, K.; Song, Y.; Feng, W.; Liu, N.; Zhang, W.; Zhang, X.
Journal of the American Chemical Society 133(10): 3226-3229
2011
ISSN/ISBN: 1520-5126 PMID: 21344912 DOI: 10.1021/ja108022h
Accession: 053169080
A thiol-labeled single polyethylene oxide chain has been pulled out of its single crystal and the corresponding extraction force obtained quantitatively by a good combination of atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging and AFM-based single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS). Our study extends the AFM-based SMFS to the investigation of polymer interactions in their condensed states (e.g., in polymer single crystals).