Finite-size effects on surface segregation 
in polymer blend films above and below  the critical point of
phase separation

doi:10.1209/epl/i2003-10176-1

Finite-size effects on surface segregation in polymer blend films above and below the critical point of phase separation

H. Grüll et al 2004 Europhys. Lett. 65 671-677 doi: 10.1209/epl/i2003-10176-1

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H. Grüll^1,2, L. Sung¹, A. Karim¹, J. F. Douglas¹, S. K. Satija¹, M. Hayashi³, H. Jinnai³, T. Hashimoto³ and C. C. Han¹
¹ Material Science and Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) - Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8542, USA
² Philips Research - 5656 AA Eindhoven, The Netherlands
³ Department of Polymer Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering Kyoto University - Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
E-mail: holger.gruell@philips.com and jack.douglas@nist.gov

Abstract. We investigate the influence of temperature and confinement on surface segregation in thin films of deuterated polybutadiene and polyisoprene near the critical point for phase separation. Neutron reflectivity measurements show that polyisoprene enriches at the air and silicon interfaces in both the 1- and 2-phase regions. A transition between in-plane and surface-directed (layered) phase separation is observed with increasing film thickness. Weak critical adsorption effects cause the blend composition profile to be rounded in comparison with profiles normally measured in small liquid mixtures.

PACS numbers: 61.12.Ha, 68.08.Bc, 05.70.Fh

Print publication: Issue 5 (March 2004)
Received 26 August 2003, in final form and accepted for publication 5 January 2004

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Finite-size effects on surface segregation in polymer blend films above and below the critical point of phase separation

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