Title

Advances In Phase-Sensitive Acoustic Microscopy Studies Of Polymer Blend Films: Annealing Effects And Micro-Elastic Characterization Of Ps/Pmma Blends

Keywords

AFM; Morphology and elastic properties; Phase-sensitive acoustic microscopy (PSAM); Thin polymeric films

Abstract

The unique phase-sensitive acoustic microscope is used for the structural and mechanical characterization of thin films of polystyrene/ polymethylmethacrylate blends. The effect of annealing on blends of polystyrene/polymethylmethacrylate spin coated from different solvents unto a substrate is studied. Varying the solvents according to vapour pressure and spin coating at different speeds (for thickness variation) led to changes in phase domain distributions and overall structural properties before annealing. Annealing in vacuum at 190°C for 48 h resulted in the elimination of solvent effects with all samples reverting to a similar morphology irrespective of common solvent and thickness. The Young's moduli at specific points on the film (Epolystyrene = 3.4 ± 0.3 GPa, E polymethylmethacrylate = 4.2 ± 0.4 GPa) and over a given area (Epolystyrene/polymethylmethacrylate = 3.9 ± 0.4 GPa) were determined by combinatory use of the atomic force microscope and phase-sensitive acoustic microscope. These results demonstrate a minimally invasive method for the quantitative characterization of polymer blend films. © 2009 The Royal Microscopical Society.

Publication Date

5-1-2010

Publication Title

Journal of Microscopy

Volume

238

Issue

2

Number of Pages

134-144

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2818.2009.03344.x

Socpus ID

77951128959 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/77951128959

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