By their nature, polymers and polyelectrolytes tend to be very sensitive to changes in their environment. QCM-D is employed to:
Monitor the hydration/solvation of polymer films in both liquid or gaseous environments
Follow the crosslinking of polymeric films
Characterize the incorporation and binding of proteins (and other molecules) to the polymer film
Complex edifices, such as polyelectrolyte multilayers, can be characterized at any time during their build-up process. Multi-frequency measurements and adapted modeling provide quantification of the film’s thickness and viscoelastic properties
The “feel for the solvent” renders the QCM-D technique particularly adapted for thin films (nanometers to micrometers) that are highly solvated.
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