Thermal Induced Instability of Thin Polymer Films: A Study by Atomic Force Microscopy

Abstract

Systematic studies of thin-film stabilities of random copolymers consisting of decyl methacrylate (DMA)/methyl methacrylate (MMA) units on a polystyrene (PS) layer tethered to silicon wafer have been carried out by atomic force microscopy (AFM) as functions of molecular weight and chemical composition. Upon annealing at an elevated temperature above the glass transition temperature (T _g), the initially flat polymer films break up into small holes, and finally form macroscopic droplets. The tethered PS layer was found to be dense enough to inhibit penetration of the copolymers into the lower layer during the annealing process. AFM studies at an early stage showed that the velocity of the hole growth was dependent upon both the molecular weights and chemical compositions of the copolymers. However, the equilibrium contact angles of the copolymer droplets formed on the PS layer were more dependent on the chemical compositions than on the molecular weights.

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