| Author(s): |
Edwin P. Chan; Santanu S. Kundu; Qinhuang Lin; Christopher M. Stafford; |
| Title: |
Thickness effect on the viscoelastic properties of polystyrene thin films as measured by thermal wrinkling |
| Published: |
December 29, 2010 |
| Abstract: |
The viscoelastic properties of polymer thin films can have a significant impact on the performance in many small-scale devices. In this work, we use thermal wrinkling, which is a phenomenon based on a thermally-initiated instability, to measure viscoelastic properties of a polymer thin film as a function of thickness. By monitoring the time-evolved wrinkle wavelength at fixed annealing temperatures, we can infer the stress-relaxation modulus and relaxation time of a polystyrene film as a function of film thickness with the aid of the appropriate buckling mechanics models. Specifically, we are able to identify the rubbery plateau and viscous flow regions as a function of annealing time and temperature above its glass transition. For the polystyrene films investigated, we find that the stress relaxation modulus is thickness-independent for films above 100 nm, while a slight deviation was observed below 100 nm. |
| Citation: |
ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces |
| Volume: |
3 |
| Issue: |
2 |
| Pages: |
pp. 331 - 338 |
| Keywords: |
polymer; viscoelasticity; thin films; coatings; instabilities; wrinkling |
| Research Areas: |
Polymers, Nanomechanics, Characterization, Materials Science, Measurements |
| PDF version: |
 Click here to retrieve PDF version of paper (4MB) |
