Chemical Composition and Strain at Interfaces between Different Morphologies in Block Copolymer Thin Films

Kevin Ho, Kris S. Kim, Sissi De Beer, Gilbert C. Walker*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)
79 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Transitional composition between two thin-film morphologies of the block copolymer, polystyrene-block-poly(tert-butyl acrylate) (PS-b-PtBuA), was investigated using near-field infrared spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy mechanical measurements. These techniques allowed block identification with nanoscale spatial resolution and elucidated the material's sub-surface composition. PS was found to form coronae around the PtBuA block in spherical valleys on flat areas of the film, and coronae of PtBuA surrounding the PS lamellae were observed at the edge of the polymer film, where parallel lamellae are formed. Furthermore, we found that the peak position and width varied by location, which may be a result of block composition, chain tension, or substrate interaction.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)12723-12731
Number of pages9
JournalLangmuir
Volume37
Issue number43
Early online date25 Oct 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2 Nov 2021

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