Characterization of Chemical Heterogeneity in Polymer Systems Using Hydrolysis and Tapping-Mode Atomic Force Microscopy.

Published

January 1, 2001

Author(s)

Xiaohong Gu, Tinh Nguyen, D Raghavan, M R. VanLandingham

Abstract

Characterization of polymer coatings microstructure is critical to the fundamental understanding of corrosion of coated metals. An approach for mapping chemical heterogeneity of a polymer system using chemical modification and tapping mode atomic force microscopy (TMAFM). This approach is based on selective hydrolysis of one of the phases in a multiphase polymer blend system and the ability of TMAFM to provide nanoscale lateral information about the different phases in the polymer system. Films made of 70:30 polyethyl acrylate/polystyrene (PEA/PS) blend were exposed to a hydrolytic acidic environment and analyzed using TMAFM. Pits were observed to form in the PEA/PS blend films and this degradation behavior was similar to that of the PEA material. Using these results, the domains in 70:30 blend were identified as the PS-rich regions and the matrix as the PEA-rich region. This conclusion is confirmed by Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflection analyses that revealed the hydrolysis of the PEA material. TMAFM phase imaging was also used to follow pit growth of the blend as a function of exposure time. The usefulness of the chemical modification/AFM imaging approach in understanding the degradation process of a coating film is discussed.

Citation

Journal of Polymer Science: Part B, Polymer Physics

Publisher Info

, -1

Pub Type

Book Chapters

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Keywords

atomic force microscopy, microscopy, chemical modification, coatings, hydrolysis, heterogeneity, phase imaging, polymers

Citation

Gu, X. , Nguyen, T. , Raghavan, D. and VanLandingham, M. (2001), Characterization of Chemical Heterogeneity in Polymer Systems Using Hydrolysis and Tapping-Mode Atomic Force Microscopy., Journal of Polymer Science: Part B, Polymer Physics, , -1, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=916895 (Accessed October 6, 2025)