Phase Separation in Ultrathin Polymer Films

Published

January 1, 2002

Author(s)

Alamgir Karim, Jack F. Douglas, Li Piin Sung, B D. Ermi

Abstract

Changes in phase separation morphology occurring in thin polymer blend films is discussed. These changes are especially large when the films are thinner than the scale of the bulk material interfacial profile width. Under these circumstances, phase separation occurs within the plane of the film. Notably, the observation of in-plane phase separation requires that one of the components segregate preferentially to both boundaries.(The film stratifies into a bilayer if one blend components segregates to the air and the other to the substrate surface.) Optical and atomic force microscopy provide unique opportunities for studying ultathin film phase separation in real space.

Citation

Encylopedia of Materials Science and Technology

Volume

a book chapter

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

2-D phase separation, blend phase separation, finite size effects, ultrathin films

Citation

Karim, A. , Douglas, J. , Sung, L. and Ermi, B. (2002), Phase Separation in Ultrathin Polymer Films, Encylopedia of Materials Science and Technology (Accessed June 7, 2023)