Analysis of the Experimental Implications of the Scaling Theory of Polymer Adsorption

A detailed analysis of the experimental implications of the scaling theory of polymer adsorption in the good solvent regime is presented. A number of new results that simplify the task of comparing theoretical predictions and experimental data are given: these include a new simple approximate expression for the force vs distance profile, which is close to the exact solutions over an appreciable range of the intersurface separations. The theoretical predictions are compared to available experimental data for the forces arising between mica plates exposed to poly(ethylene oxide)−water solutions. Good quantitative agreement between theory and experiment is found, with no need for adjustable parameters.