Real-time and in situ observation of structural evolution of giant block copolymer thin film under solvent vapor annealing by atomic force microscopy.

ABSTRACT: An instrumentation technique for real-time, in situ and real space observation of microphase separation was proposed for ultra-high molecular weight block copolymer thin films (1010 kg mol^-1, domain spacing of 180 nm) under high solvent vapor swelling conditions. This is made possible by a combination of a homebuilt chamber which is capable of supplying sufficient amount of vapor, and force-distance curve measurements which gives real-time swollen film thickness and allow active feedback for controlling the degree of swelling. We succeeded in monitoring the domain coarsening of perpendicular lamellar structures in polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) thin films for eight hours via tapping mode imaging. During the annealing process, the thickness reach

SUBMITTER: Takano K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9047986 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature