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Direct morphological study of metal/polymer interfaces by scanning force microscopy
Author(s) -
Akari Sabri,
Esselink Eddy,
Hadziioannou Georges
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.740230615
Subject(s) - polymer , materials science , aluminium , metal , optical microscope , scanning electron microscope , deposition (geology) , microscopy , composite material , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , metallurgy , optics , biology , paleontology , physics , sediment , engineering
Using a scanning force microscope, direct imaging of the metal/polymer interface was achieved for the first time by removing the evaporated metal film from the deposited polymer and imaging the side that was exposed to the polymer. This technique allows direct sight of the metal/polymer interface and provides information about the possible effects related to metal deposition on polymers. For comparison, two different metals, gold and aluminium, with fairly different physical properties were evaporated on a spin‐coated poly‐3‐octylthiophene polymer. While the gold film exhibits fine granulates forming a semi‐homogeneous film, the aluminium film shows large elongated protrusions forming a network structure.