Polymer Dynamics Research in polymer hydration is focused on polymeric films with low surface free energies. These films resist adhesion of fouling contaminants. We are characterizing the spatial resolved friction and adhesive properties of various films by atomic force microscopy and infrared near field spectroscopy. The structural changes of  polymer thin films and their domain structure are under examination. We are also examining the dynamics of single polymer strands using molecular force microscopy. Link to Single Molecule AFM Movie! Meadows, P. Y.; Bemis, J. E.; Walker, G. C. “Single Molecule Force Spectroscopy of Isolated and Aggregated Fibronectin Proteins on Negatively Charged Surfaces in Aqueous Liquids”, Langmuir, 2003, accepted. Akhremitchev, B. B.; Bemis, J. E.; Al-Maawali, S.; Sun, Y.; Stebunouva, L.; Walker, G. C., “Application of Scanning Force and Near Field Microscopies to the Characterization of Minimally Adhesive Polymer Surfaces“, Biofouling, 2003, 19(1), 99 - 104. Tivanski, A. V.; Bemis, J. E.; Akhremitchev, B. B.; Liu, H.; Walker, G.C. “Adhesion Forces in Conducting Probe Atomic Force Microscopy”, Langmuir, 2003, 19, 1929-1934. Paper:  Chen, J.; Liu, H.; Weimer, W. A.; Halls, M. D.; Waldeck, D. H.; Walker, G. C.  “Noncovalent Engineering of Carbon Nanotube Surfaces by Rigid Functional Conjugated Polymers”, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2002, 124, 9036-9037. Sun, Y.; Walker, G. C. "Two-Dimensional-Self-Assembly of Latex Particles in Wetting Films on Patterned Polymer Surfaces", J. Phys. Chem. B., 2002, 106(9); 2217-2223. Paper:  Al-Mawaali, S.; Bemis, J.; Akhremitchev, B. B.; Janesko, B; Walker,. G. C. “Study of Polydispersity of Grafted PDMS Surfaces Using Single Molecule Atomic Force Microscopy”, J. Phys. Chem. B, 2001, 105, 3965-3971.  Paper: Akhremitchev, B. B.; Mohney, B. K.; Marra, K.; Chapman, T. M.; Walker, G. C. "Atomic Force Microscopy Studies of Hydration of Fluorinated Amide/Urethane Copolymer Film Surfaces," Langmuir, 1998, 14, 3976.  Paper: Bemis, J.; Akhremitchev, B. B.; Walker, G. C. "Single Polymer Chain Elongation by Atomic Force Microscopy," Langmuir, 1999, 15, 2799-2805.  Paper: Akhremitchev, B. B.; Walker, G. C. "Effect of Finite Sample Thickness on Elasticity Determination Using Atomic Force Microscopy," Langmuir, 1999, 15, 5630-5643.  Paper:  Zuhulina, E.; Walker, G. C.; Balazs, A. C. "Modeling the Interactions Between AFM Tips and Polymeric Substrates," Langmuir, 1998, 14, 4615.  Paper: Mohney, B. K.; Petri, E.; Uvarova, V.; Walker, G. C. "Infrared and Ultraviolet‑Circular Dichroism Spectral Studies of Thermally Induced Unfolding of Apomyoglobin," Appl. Spectr., 2000, 54 ,9-14.