Hydrophobic polymers, tethered to the water surface .2. free-standing rubber-elastic LB-films

Hydrophobic polymers with low glass transition temperature (polyisoprenes) and a single head group (sulfonate) bearing photoreactive side groups (anthracene) have been synthesized and characterized as insoluble monolayers on a water surface. The isotherms are similar to the parent polymers without anthracene side groups and the films can be transferred to solid substrates via the Langmuir-Blodgett technique with a transfer ratio of 0.85. The films on solid substrates as well as on the water surface can be crosslinked via irradiation with UV-light. Films crosslinked on the water surface can be transferred to copper grids. The films span the openings of the grids and damaged parts of the suspended films have round borders. The films most likely are rubber elastic. Irradiation of the monolayers through a mask followed by solvent treatment gives rise to laterally structured monolayers.