Abstract
We present a study of polystyrene-metal interfaces and discuss the relationship between the interfacial structure and anomalies in the measured glass transition temperature (Tg) of thin metal capped polystyrene (PS) films. The PS films used in these studies were coated with an evaporated metal layer of either Aluminum (Al) or gold (Au) and the Tg values were measured with ellipsometry. Uncoated PS films were also measured and these samples showed Tg values that were reduced relative to the bulk value for film thicknesses (h) less than 40 nm. Films coated with Au were shown to have measured Tg values that were the same as the bulk value (Tgbulk=370 K) for all the film thicknesses studied (h ≥ 8nm). The Al coated PS films had measured Tg values that were the same as the uncoated PS films. The observed differences are discussed in terms of the differences in the structure of the metal-polymer interfaces produced during thermal evaporation of the metal layers. A novel sample preparation procedure was developed to enable us to use Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to directly measure the structure of the buried polymer-metal interfaces. The measurements performed on these systems support the suggestion that the interfacial structure is different for the two metal-polymer interfaces studied and that these differences may be the cause of the anomalies in the measured Tgs of these samples.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
J.A. Forrest and K. Dalnoki-Veress, Advances in Colloid and Interface Science, 94, 167 (2001)
J. Mattsson, J.A. Forrest, L Borjesson, Phys. Rev. E, 62, 5187–5200, (2000).,J.A. Forrest and J. Mattsson, Phys. Rev. E., 61 R53, (2000).
S. Herminghaus, K. Jacobs, R. Seeman, Eur., Phys. J. E., 5, 531, (2001).
D. Long, F. Lequeux, Eur. Phys. J. E, 4, 371, (2001).
K.L. Ngai, J. Phys. IV, 10, Pr7–221 (2000).
J.A. Forrest, K. Dalnoki-Veress, J.R. Stevens, and J.R. Dutcher, Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 2002 (1996)
J.A. Forrest, K. Dalnoki-Veress and J.R. Dutcher, Phys. Rev. E, 56, 5705 (1997)
T. Kerle, Z.Q. Lin, H.C. Kim, T.P. Russell, Macromolecules, 34, 3484 (2001).
J.H. Teichroeb and J.A. Forrest, Phys. Rev. Lett., 91, 016104 (2003).
J. Hammerschmidt, W. Gladfelter, G. Haugstad, Macromolecules, 32, 3360 (1999).
J.A. Forrest, K. Dalnoki-Veress and J.R. Dutcher, Phys. Rev. E, 56, 5705 (1997)
K. Fukao, S. Uno, Y. Miyamoto, A. Hoshino, H. Miyaji, Phys. Rev. E, 64, 051807, (2001)
J.S. Sharp and J.A. Forrest, Phys. Rev. Lett., (in press 2003)
J.S. Sharp and J.A. Forrest, Phys. Rev. E, 67, 031805, (2003)
T. Strunskus, V. Zaporojtchenko, K. Behnke, C.V. Bechtolsheim and F. Faupel., Adv. Eng. Mat., 22, 489–492, (2000).
F. Faupel, R. Willecke and A. Thran, Mat. Sci. Eng. R, 22, 1–55, (1998).
R.A.L. Jones and R.W. Richards, ‘Polymers at surfaces and interfaces’, pgs 293–315, Cambridge University Press (1999)
Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful for financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). JAF would like to acknowledge the financial support of the government of Ontario through the PREA program.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sharp, J., Forrest, J. Metal - polymer interfaces and their effect on the glass transition of thin polystyrene films. MRS Online Proceedings Library 790, 94 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-790-P9.4
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-790-P9.4