Studies of surface and interface segregation in polymer blends by secondary ion mass spectrometry

Polymers and biopolymers at interfaces

This review updates recent progress in the understanding of the behaviour of polymers at surfaces and interfaces, highlighting examples in the areas of wetting, dewetting, crystallization, and 'smart' materials. Recent developments in analysis tools have yielded a large increase in the study of biological systems, and some of these will also be discussed, focussing on areas where surfaces are important. These areas include molecular binding events and protein adsorption as well as the mapping of the surfaces of cells. Important techniques commonly used for the analysis of surfaces and interfaces are discussed separately to aid the understanding of their application.

Spatial and Temporal Dependence of Diffusion in Polystyrene Thin Films on Silicon and Carbon Surfaces

The strong inhibition of chain diffusion in thin polystyrene (PS) films has been observed near an attractive silicon surface, and diffusion remains inhibited out to distances of several radii of gyration from the surface. The present study seeks to determine the time dependence of the diffusion coefficient, and to examine the effect of a carbon surface on this diffusion. The sputter-deposited carbon surface may serve as a model for carbon-black particles employed in nanocomposites, which have recently been observed to reduce diffusion throughout a nanocomposite layer. The experiments employed a thin (∼15 nm) deuterated polystyrene (dPS) marker layer sandwiched between two normal PS layers. Deuterium profiles were monitored in the annealed samples by secondary ion mass spectrometry. Strong segregation was observed at the silicon surface, but was inhibited at the carbon surface, allowing the diffusion behaviour to be studied in the latter case over longer annealing times. A finite-element computer program was developed to fit the observed diffusion profiles. The variation of the diffusion coefficient with depth is shown to be consistent with previous results, and diffusion is comparable at both the carbon and silicon surfaces. The diffusion coefficient decreases roughly in proportion to t−1/2, and is discussed in the context of reptation theory.

Cluster secondary ion mass spectrometry of polymers and related materials

Cluster secondary ion mass spectrometry (cluster SIMS) has played a critical role in the characterization of polymeric materials over the last decade, allowing for the ability to obtain spatially resolved surface and in-depth molecular information from many polymer systems. With the advent of new molecular sources such as C(60)(+), Au(3)(+), SF(5)(+), and Bi(3)(+), there are considerable increases in secondary ion signal as compared to more conventional atomic beams (Ar(+), Cs(+), or Ga(+)). In addition, compositional depth profiling in organic and polymeric systems is now feasible, without the rapid signal decay that is typically observed under atomic bombardment. The premise behind the success of cluster SIMS is that compared to atomic beams, polyatomic beams tend to cause surface-localized damage with rapid sputter removal rates, resulting in a system at equilibrium, where the damage created is rapidly removed before it can accumulate. Though this may be partly true, there are actually much more complex chemistries occurring under polyatomic bombardment of organic and polymeric materials, which need to be considered and discussed to better understand and define the important parameters for successful depth profiling. The following presents a review of the current literature on polymer analysis using cluster beams. This review will focus on the surface and in-depth characterization of polymer samples with cluster sources, but will also discuss the characterization of other relevant organic materials, and basic polymer radiation chemistry.

Lamellae orientation in block copolymer films with ionic complexes

Lamellae orientation in lithium-complexed polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) copolymer films on natively oxidized silicon wafers is investigated as a function of film thickness and percentage of carbonyl groups coordinated with lithium ions using cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering. For films with a lower percentage of ionic complexes, the strong surface interaction of the PMMA blocks with the substrate is not changed significantly and the orientation of the lamellar microdomains depends on the film thickness and is dictated by a coupling of the interfacial interactions and the degree of microphase separation. For films with a higher percentage of ionic complexes, the surface interaction is mediated. Along with the enhanced immiscibility between the two blocks, which drives the self-assembly into a stronger microphase segregation, an orientation of the lamellar microdomains normal to the surface is seen, independent of film thickness. Thus, by tuning the amount of ionic complexes, the orientation of lamellar microdomain can be controlled from a random arrangement to being oriented parallel or perpendicular to the film surface without any surface modification or use of external fields, which opens a simple and general route for the fabrication of nanostructured materials.

Surface and interfacial segregation in blends of polystyrene with functional end groups and deuterated polystyrene

The effect of chain-end chemistry on surface and interfacial segregation in symmetric blends of polystyrene (hPS)/deuterated polystyrene (dPS) has been investigated by X-ray photoelectron and secondary ion mass spectroscopy in conjunction with neutron reflectivity measurements. Alpha,omega-fluoroalkyl- and alpha,omega-carboxy-terminated polystyrenes (alpha,omega-hPS(Rf)2 and alpha,omega-hPS(COOH)2) were used as end-functionalized polymers; the former possesses chain ends with lower surface energies, and the latter possesses higher surface energies compared with that of the main chain. In the case of an alpha,omega-hPS(Rf)2/dPS blend film, alpha,omega-hPS(Rf)2 was enriched at the surface owing to the surface localization of the Rf groups, although the surface energy of the hPS segments was slightly higher than that of the dPS ones. On the contrary, in the case of an alpha,omega-hPS(COOH)2/dPS blend film, dPS was preferentially segregated at the surface. This may be due to a surface depletion of COOH ends and an apparent molecular weight increase of alpha,omega-hPS(COOH)2 produced by a hydrogen-bonded intermolecular association of COOH ends in addition to the surface energy difference between hPS and dPS segments. Interestingly, both Rf and COOH chain ends were partitioned to the substrate interface for the alpha,omega-hPS(Rf)2/dPS and alpha,omega-hPS(COOH)2/dPS blend films, resulting in the segregation of the hPS component at the substrate interface for both blends. The results presented imply that surface and interfacial segregation in polymer blends could be regulated by incorporating functional groups into the end portions of one component.

Carbon-13 Labeling for Quantitative Analysis of Molecular Movement in Heterogeneous Organic Materials Using Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is used to probe the movement of macromolecules in heterogeneous organic systems. Using 13C tracer labeling and two model systems, polystyrene/poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS/P2VP) and polystyrene/poly(4-bromostyrene) (PS/P4BrS), the diffusion of 13C-labeled PS has been investigated near the respective heterogeneous interfaces using a CAMECA-IMS-6F magnetic sector mass spectrometer. 13C labeling has been shown to greatly minimize matrix effects (i.e., changes in secondary ion yields due to changing chemical environment) in heterogeneous systems. P2VP is a nitrogen-rich polymer (C7H7N monomer composition), making it an excellent model polymer for exploration of this technique for potential future use in biological applications, and probing the PS/P4BrS interface demonstrates the versatility of this technique for analysis of various heteroatom-containing materials. Results confirm that the 13C-labeling method does indeed allow for quantitative analysis of molecular movement in heterogeneous organic systems containing matrix-enhancing heteroatoms such as nitrogen. Therefore, extension of this method to more complicated biological systems involving multiple heteroatoms (oxygen, nitrogen, etc.), layers, and heterogeneous interfaces, as well as two- and three-dimensional profiling and imaging using SIMS, can be envisaged.

Diblock copolymer surfactant transport across the interface between two homopolymers

Dynamics of adsorption and desorption of a diblock copolymer to an interface between two homopolymers was measured using dynamic secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Thin films were constructed consisting of a layer of saturated polybutadiene with 90% 1,2-addition (sPB90), followed by a layer of saturated polybutadiene with 63% 1,2-addition (sPB63), and finally by another layer of the sPB90 homopolymer. A sPB90-sPB63 diblock copolymer was initially included only in the top sPB90 layer of the film at a volume fraction of 0.05. The thin films were annealed at ambient temperature for times ranging between 0.2 and 108 h, and the concentration profiles of the diblock copolymer through the films were measured using SIMS. The dynamics of adsorption and desorption of the diblock copolymer at the two sPB90-sPB63 interfaces was gauged by comparing the different transient concentration profiles. The sorption process was modeled as diffusion in an external field, generated from self-consistent field theory (SCFT). All parameters for the model were determined independently. Although the model neglects the dynamics of conformational change, experimental results matched theory very well.

Carbon-13 labeling for improved tracer depth profiling of organic materials using secondary ion mass spectrometry

13C labeling is introduced as an alternative to deuterium labeling for analysis of organic materials using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). A model macromolecular system composed of polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was used to compare the effects of isotopic labeling using both deuterium substitution (dPS) and 13C labeling (13C-PS). Clear evidence is shown that deuterium labeling does introduce changes in the thermodynamic properties of the system, with the observation of segregation of dPS to an hPS:dPS/hPMMA interface. This type of behavior could significantly impact many types of investigations due to the potential for improper interpretation of experimental results as a consequence of labeling-induced artifacts. 13C labeling is shown to provide a true tracer for analysis using SIMS.

Carbon-13 Labeled Polymers: An Alternative Tracer for Depth Profiling of Polymer Films and Multilayers Using Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

13C labeling is introduced as a tracer for depth profiling of polymer films and multilayers using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Deuterium substitution has traditionally been used in depth profiling of polymers but can affect the phase behavior of the polymer constituents with reported changes in both bulk-phase behavior and surface and interfacial interactions. SIMS can provide contrast by examining various functional groups, chemical moieties, or isotopic labels. 13C-Labeled PS (13C-PS) and unlabeled PS (12C-PS) and PMMA were synthesized using atom-transfer radical polymerization and assembled in several model thin-film systems. Depth profiles were recorded using a Cameca IMS-6f magnetic sector mass spectrometer using both 6.0-keV impact energy Cs+ and 5.5-keV impact energy O2+ primary ion bombardment with detection of negative and positive secondary ions, respectively. Although complete separation of 12C1H from 13C is achieved using both primary ion species, 6.0-keV Cs+ clearly shows improved detection sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio for detection of 12C, 12C1H, and 13C secondary ions. The use of Cs+ primary ion bombardment results in somewhat anomalous, nonmonotonic changes in the 12C, 12C1H, and 13C secondary ion yields through the PS/PMMA interface; however, it is shown that this behavior is not due to sample charging. Through normalization of the 13C secondary ion yield to the total C (12C + 13C) ion yield, the observed effects through the PS/PMMA interface can be greatly minimized, thereby significantly improving analysis of polymer films and multilayers using SIMS. Mass spectra of 13C-PS and 12C-PS were also analyzed using a PHI TRIFT I time-of-flight mass spectrometer, with 15-keV Ga+ primary ion bombardment and detection of positive secondary ions. The (12)C7(1)H7 ion fragment and its 13C-enriched analogues have significant secondary ion yields with negligible mass interferences, providing an early indication of the potential for future use of this technique for cluster probe depth profiling of high molecular weight 13C-labeled fragments.

Molecular Recognition in Structured Matrixes: Control of Guest Localization in Block Copolymer Films

We demonstrate the use of molecular recognition to control the spatial distribution of guest molecules within block copolymer films. Block copolymers bearing recognition units were combined with complementary and noncomplementary molecules, and the extent of segregation of these molecules into the different domain types within microphase-separated thin films was quantitatively analyzed using dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Complementarity between the guest molecules and the polymer functionalities proved to be a key factor and an efficient tool for directing the segregation preference of the molecules to the different domain types. The effect of segregation preference on the glass transition temperature was studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the results corroborate the SIMS findings. In a complementary study, guests with tunable sizes (via dendron substituents) were used to control block copolymer morphology. Morphological characterization using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction reveal that selectivity differences can be directly translated into the ability to obtain different morphologies from recognition unit-functionalized block copolymer scaffolds.

Molecular Depth Profiling of Multilayer Polymer Films Using Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

The low penetration depth and high sputter rates obtained using polyatomic primary ions have facilitated their use for the molecular depth profiling of some spin-cast polymer films by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). In this study, dual-beam time-of-flight (TOF) SIMS (sputter ion, 5 keV SF(5)(+); analysis ion, 10 keV Ar(+)) was used to depth profile spin-cast multilayers of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA), and trifluoroacetic anhydride-derivatized poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (TFAA-PHEMA) on silicon substrates. Characteristic positive and negative secondary ions were monitored as a function of depth using SF(5)(+) primary ion doses necessary to sputter through the polymer layer and uncover the silicon substrate (>5 x10(14) ions/cm(2)). The sputter rates of the polymers in the multilayers were typically less than for corresponding single-layer films, and the order of the polymers in the multilayer affected the sputter rates of the polymers. Multilayer samples with PHEMA as the outermost layer resulted in lowered sputter rates for the underlying polymer layer due to increased ion-induced damage accumulation rates in PHEMA. Additionally, the presence of a PMMA or PHEMA overlayer significantly decreased the sputter rate of TFAA-PHEMA underlayers due to ion-induced damage accumulation in the overlayer. Typical interface widths between adjacent polymer layers were 10-15 nm for bilayer films and increased with depth to approximately 35 nm for the trilayer films. The increase in interface width and observations using optical microscopy showed the formation of sputter-induced surface roughness during the depth profiles of the trilayer polymer films. This study shows that polyatomic primary ions can be used for the molecular depth profiling of some multilayer polymer films and presents new opportunities for the analysis of thin organic films using TOF-SIMS.

Impact Energy Dependence of SF5+-Induced Damage in Poly(methyl methacrylate) Studied Using Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

Ion-induced damage of polymers is a critical factor in the depth profiling of polymer surfaces using polyatomic primary ions. In this study, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry was used to measure the damage of spin-cast poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films under 5-keV Cs(+) and 2.5-8.75-keV SF(5)(+) bombardment. Under 5-keV Cs(+) bombardment, the characteristic PMMA secondary ion intensities decreased rapidly for primary ion doses above 5 x 10(13) ions/cm(2). The damage profiles of PMMA under SF(5)(+) bombardment contained three distinct regions as a function of SF(5)(+) ion dose: a surface transient, an extended quasi-stabilization of the characteristic PMMA secondary ion intensities, and the decay of these intensities as the silicon substrate was reached. The PMMA film sputtered in a controlled manner for SF(5)(+) ion doses up to 4 x 10(14) ions/cm(2), with the maximum ion dose limited by the thickness of the PMMA film. Furthermore, the chemistry at the bottom of the sputter crater was significantly less modified by SF(5)(+) bombardment when compared with Cs(+) bombardment. The sputter rate was linearly correlated with the SF(5)(+) impact energy while the damage to the PMMA film varied minimally with the SF(5)(+) impact energy. These results were compared with Monte Carlo (SRIM) calculations of the penetration depth and vacancy production for SF(5)(+) at different impact energies. Since the SF(5)(+) impact energy only affected the sputter rate, selection of the appropriate SF(5)(+) impact energy for polymer depth profiling depends solely on the desired sputter rate.