Quantifying Strain via Buckling Instabilities in Surface Modified Polymer Brushes

Published

May 21, 2020

Author(s)

Cassandra M. Reese, Wei Guo, Brittany J. Thompson, Phillip K. Logan, Christopher Stafford, Derek L. Patton

Abstract

We present a quantitative method of measuring the compressive strain of wrinkled polymer films and coatings with knowledge of the "skin" thickness, wrinkle wavelength, and wrinkle amplitude. The derived analytical expression is validated with a well-studied model system, e.g., stiff, thin film (PS) bonded to a thick, compliant substrate (PDMS), comparing the applied strain and calculated strain for a series of PS film thicknesses. After validation, we use the analytical expression to quantify the applied swelling strain of previously reported wrinkled poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) brush surfaces after surface modification, where the swelling strain was determined to increase with anhydride conversion in the "skin" layer of the modified brush. Finally, the applied strain is used to rationalize the observed persistence length of aligned wrinkles created during AFM lithography and subsequent solvent exposure. The ability to accurately determine the applied strain in wrinkled systems adds another tool to the metrology of instabilities in polymer thin films and coatings.

Citation

Macromolecules

Volume

53

Issue

11

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.9b02412

Local Download

Keywords

wrinkling, polymers, thin films, polymer brushes, strain

Citation

Reese, C. , Guo, W. , Thompson, B. , Logan, P. , Stafford, C. and Patton, D. (2020), Quantifying Strain via Buckling Instabilities in Surface Modified Polymer Brushes, Macromolecules, [online], https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.9b02412, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=929072 (Accessed October 21, 2025)