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Surface Micro‐Scale Semi‐Heterogeneous Structures in Compatible Polystyrene and Poly(vinyl methyl ether) Blend Thin Films Investigated by Lateral‐Force Microscopy
Author(s) -
Wang Dong,
Ishida Hatsuo
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.200700230
Subject(s) - polystyrene , materials science , differential scanning calorimetry , nanometre , surface roughness , optical microscope , polymer chemistry , microscopy , miscibility , composite material , surface finish , thin film , polymer , chemical engineering , scanning electron microscope , nanotechnology , optics , physics , engineering , thermodynamics
We have investigated the compatibility of thin films of polystyrene/poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PS/PVME) blends. The macro‐compatibility of the blends has been confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and optical microscopy (OM). The topographic image shows a homogeneous morphology with a roughness of only a few nanometers. At the same position, the lateral‐force microscopic (LFM) image shows a clear, heterogeneous surface structure. The dispersed phases have domain sizes varying from 100 to 300 nm. Force‐distance (F‐D) measurements show that both the dispersed phase and the matrix have similar behaviors. The thickness‐dependent surface morphology has also been studied; such micro‐heterogeneity already exists when the thickness is much higher than that of the ultra‐thin films.