Local Properties of Phase-Separated Polymer Surfaces by Force Microscopy

Abstract
Force microscopy techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), friction force microscopy (FFM), and force modulation microscopy (FMM) were applied to polymer blend and copolymer surfaces to observe phase-separated structures and distinguish the individual components. We observed a continuous phase-separated structure of polystyrene (PS)/polyethyleneoxide (PEO) polymer blend, a micro-phase-separated structure of styrene (S)/butadiene (B) S-B-S-B block copolymer, and islands-sea phase-separated structures of PS/polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) polymer blend and diblock copolymer with AFM. FFM and FMM were applied to PS/PMMA polymer blend and diblock copolymer, and FFM differentiated PS from PMMA.

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