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Cheng X, Böker A, Tsarkova L. Temperature-Controlled Solvent Vapor Annealing of Thin Block Copolymer Films. Polymers (Basel) 2019; 11:E1312. [PMID: 31390732 PMCID: PMC6722758 DOI: 10.3390/polym11081312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Solvent vapor annealing is as an effective and versatile alternative to thermal annealing to equilibrate and control the assembly of polymer chains in thin films. Here, we present scientific and practical aspects of the solvent vapor annealing method, including the discussion of such factors as non-equilibrium conformational states and chain dynamics in thin films in the presence of solvent. Homopolymer and block copolymer films have been used in model studies to evaluate the robustness and the reproducibility of the solvent vapor processing, as well as to assess polymer-solvent interactions under confinement. Advantages of utilizing a well-controlled solvent vapor environment, including practically interesting regimes of weakly saturated vapor leading to poorly swollen states, are discussed. Special focus is given to dual temperature control over the set-up instrumentation and to the potential of solvo-thermal annealing. The evaluated insights into annealing dynamics derived from the studies on block copolymer films can be applied to improve the processing of thin films of crystalline and conjugated polymers as well as polymer composite in confined geometries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Cheng
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP, Geiselbergstr. 69, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Lehrstuhl für Polymermaterialien und Polymertechnologie, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Alexander Böker
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP, Geiselbergstr. 69, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Lehrstuhl für Polymermaterialien und Polymertechnologie, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Larisa Tsarkova
- Deutsches Textilforschungszentrum Nord-West (DNTW), Adlerstr. 1, 47798 Krefeld, Germany.
- Chair of Colloid Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1-3, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
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Lesch A, Cortés-Salazar F, Amstutz V, Tacchini P, Girault HH. Inkjet Printed Nanohydrogel Coated Carbon Nanotubes Electrodes For Matrix Independent Sensing. Anal Chem 2015; 87:1026-33. [DOI: 10.1021/ac503748g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Lesch
- Laboratoire
d’Electrochimie Physique et Analytique, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 6, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Fernando Cortés-Salazar
- Laboratoire
d’Electrochimie Physique et Analytique, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 6, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Véronique Amstutz
- Laboratoire
d’Electrochimie Physique et Analytique, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 6, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Hubert H. Girault
- Laboratoire
d’Electrochimie Physique et Analytique, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 6, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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Vignaud G, S Chebil M, Bal JK, Delorme N, Beuvier T, Grohens Y, Gibaud A. Densification and depression in glass transition temperature in polystyrene thin films. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2014; 30:11599-608. [PMID: 25209183 DOI: 10.1021/la501639z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Ellipsometry and X-ray reflectivity were used to characterize the mass density and the glass transition temperature of supported polystyrene (PS) thin films as a function of their thickness. By measuring the critical wave vector (qc) on the plateau of total external reflection, we evidence that PS films get denser in a confined state when the film thickness is below 50 nm. Refractive indices (n) and electron density profiles measurements confirm this statement. The density of a 6 nm (0.4 gyration radius, Rg) thick film is 30% greater than that of a 150 nm (10Rg) film. A depression of 25 °C in glass transition temperature (Tg) was revealed as the film thickness is reduced. In the context of the free volume theory, this result seems to be in apparent contradiction with the fact that thinner films are denser. However, as the thermal expansion of thinner films is found to be greater than the one of thicker films, the increase in free volume is larger for thin films when temperature is raised. Therefore, the free volume reaches a critical value at a lower Tg for thinner films. This critical value corresponds to the onset of large cooperative movements of polymer chains. The link between the densification of ultrathin films and the drop in their Tg is thus reconciled. We finally show that at their respective Tg(h) all films exhibit a critical mass density of about 1.05 g/cm(3) whatever their thickness. The thickness dependent thermal expansion related to the free volume is consequently a key factor to understand the drop in the Tg of ultrathin films.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Vignaud
- Université Bretagne-Sud , EA 4250, LIMATB, F-56100 Lorient, France
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Karahan HE, Eyüboğlu L, Kıyılar D, Demirel AL. pH-stability and pH-annealing of H-bonded multilayer films prepared by layer-by-layer spin-assembly. Eur Polym J 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2014.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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5
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Study of density-dependent swelling of ultrathin water soluble polymer films. JOURNAL OF POLYMER RESEARCH 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10965-013-0343-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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7
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Mondal MH, Mukherjee M. Effect of thermal modification on swelling dynamics of ultrathin polymer films. POLYMER 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2012.08.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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An Q, Chen JT, De Guzman M, Hung WS, Lee KR, Lai JY. Multilayered poly(vinylidene fluoride) composite membranes with improved interfacial compatibility: correlating pervaporation performance with free volume properties. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2011; 27:11062-11070. [PMID: 21740064 DOI: 10.1021/la2018314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
A spin-coating process integrated with an ozone-induced graft polymerization technique was applied in this study. The purpose was to improve the poor interfacial compatibility between a selective layer of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) and the surface of a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) substrate. The composite membranes thus fabricated were tested for their pervaporation performance in dehydrating an ethyl acetate/water mixture. Furthermore, the composite membranes were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) for morphological change observation and by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy equipped with attenuated total reflectance (ATR-FTIR) for surface chemical composition analysis. Effects of grafting density and spin-coating speed on pervaporation performance were examined. The composite membrane pervaporation performance was elucidated by means of free volume and depth profile data obtained with the use of a variable monoenergy slow positron beam (VMSPB). Results indicated that a smaller free volume was correlated with a higher pervaporation performance of a composite membrane consisting of a selective layer of spin-coated PHEMA on a PHEMA-grafted PVDF substrate (S-PHEMA/PHEMA-g-PVDF). The composite membrane depth profile illustrated that an S-PHEMA layer spin-coated at a higher revolutions per minute (rpm) was thinner and denser than that at a lower rpm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanfu An
- R&D Center for Membrane Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Chung Yuan University, Chung-Li 32023, Taiwan
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Samanta T, Mukherjee M. Swelling Dynamics of Ultrathin Films of Strong Polyelectrolytes. Macromolecules 2011. [DOI: 10.1021/ma200240t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tanusree Samanta
- Surface Physics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700064, India
| | - M. Mukherjee
- Surface Physics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700064, India
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10
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Mondal MH, Mukherjee M. Study of structural evolution during controlled degradation of ultrathin polymer films. POLYMER 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2010.09.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Zettl U, Knoll A, Tsarkova L. Effect of confinement on the mesoscale and macroscopic swelling of thin block copolymer films. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2010; 26:6610-6617. [PMID: 20027996 DOI: 10.1021/la903922y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
We report on the swelling behavior and the corresponding morphological behavior of cylinder-forming polystyrene-b-polybutadiene diblock copolymers, which are confined to several layers of structures. The equilibration of thin films has been done under controlled atmosphere of a nonselective solvent. In situ spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements revealed more than 10% increase of the solvent uptake with decreasing film thickness. With scanning force microscopy of the microphase separated patterns in quenched films, the correlation between the degree of the long-range order of cylinder domains and the degree of the macroscopic swelling has been established. In the case of spontaneously formed micrometer-sized topographic features with discreet film thickness (terraces), the increased solvent uptake by thinner films holds true even for isolated terraces on the mesoscale. The observation of nonhomogeneous swelling of the films on the micrometer scale brings novel insights into the properties of confined soft matter, and suggests new approaches toward the fabrication of polymer-based nanostructured responsive materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ute Zettl
- Physikalische Chemie II, Universität Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
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Tsarkova L, Sevink GJA, Krausch G. Nanopattern Evolution in Block Copolymer Films: Experiment, Simulations and Challenges. COMPLEX MACROMOLECULAR SYSTEMS I 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/12_2010_54] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
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13
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Mukherjee S, Mondal MH, Mukherjee M, Doyle BP, Nannarone S. Onset Kinetics of Thermal Degradation of Ultrathin Polyacrylamide Films. Macromolecules 2009. [DOI: 10.1021/ma901294t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Mukherjee
- Surface Physics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF, Bidhannagar, Kolkata-64, India
| | - Mojammel H. Mondal
- Surface Physics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF, Bidhannagar, Kolkata-64, India
| | - M. Mukherjee
- Surface Physics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF, Bidhannagar, Kolkata-64, India
| | - B. P. Doyle
- Laboratorio Nazionale TASC, INFM-CNR, S.S. 14, km 163.5, Area Science Park, 34012 Basovizza (TS), Italy
| | - S. Nannarone
- Laboratorio Nazionale TASC, INFM-CNR, S.S. 14, km 163.5, Area Science Park, 34012 Basovizza (TS), Italy
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria dei Materiali e dell'Ambiente, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Vignolese 905, 41100 Modena, Italy
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