We characterize the response of compressed, sheared polymer-brush bilayers with colloidal inclusions to highly nonstationary inversion processes by means of molecular dynamics simulations and scaling theory. Bilayers with a simple (dimeric) solvent reveal an overshoot for the shear stress, while simulations of dry brushes without explicit solvent molecules fail to display this effect. We demonstrate that mechanical instabilities can be controlled by the inclusion of macromolecular structures, such as colloids of varying softness. Based on a recently developed theory, we suggest a scaling approach to determine a characteristic time for conformational and collective responses.

• Received 25 January 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.168301