Synergic Swelling of Interactive Network Support and Block Copolymer Films during Solvent Vapor Annealing
Type
ArticleAuthors
Ogieglo, WojciechStenbock-Fermor, Anja
Juraschek, Thomas M.
Bogdanova, Yulia
Benes, Nieck

Tsarkova, Larisa A.

KAUST Department
Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Research CenterPhysical Science and Engineering (PSE) Division
Date
2018-08-28Embargo End Date
2019-08-28Submitted Date
2018-08-09Permanent link to this record
http://hdl.handle.net/10754/670052
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
We report the effect of “interactive” polymer network (PN) supports on the solvent-vapor processing of thin polymer films. Densely cross-linked surface-attached network exhibits under experimental time scale a glassy swelling behavior with the conformational states and solvent-uptake clearly sensitive to the degree of solvent vapor saturation in the atmosphere. Pretreatment of the thermally cured PN films by complete immersion or by swelling in saturated chloroform vapors facilitates relaxation of the residual stresses and induces irreversible changes to the network structure as revealed by the swelling/deswelling tests. The presence of a polymer film on top of the PN support results in a mutual influence of the layers on the respective swelling kinetics, steady-state solvent uptake, and chain dynamics. Using UV–vis ellipsometry, we revealed a significantly faster swelling and higher solvent uptake of glassy PN layer below a polymer film as compared to a single PN layer on silicon substrate. Remarkably, the swelling of the network support continues to increase even when the overall swelling of the bilayer is in a steady-state regime. Block copolymer films on PN supports exhibit a faster ordering dynamics and exceptional stability toward dewetting as compared to similar films on silicon wafers. The mechanical stress produced by continuously swelling PN is suggested to account for the enhanced segmental dynamics even at low solvent concentration in the block copolymer film. Apart from novel insights into dynamics of solvent uptake by heterogeneous polymer films, these results might be useful in developing novel approaches toward fast-processing/annealing of functional polymer films and fibers.Citation
Ogieglo, W., Stenbock-Fermor, A., Juraschek, T. M., Bogdanova, Y., Benes, N., & Tsarkova, L. A. (2018). Synergic Swelling of Interactive Network Support and Block Copolymer Films during Solvent Vapor Annealing. Langmuir, 34(34), 9950–9960. doi:10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b02304Sponsors
L.A.T. and Y.B. acknowledge the financial support by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) according to the research project no. 18-53-76005 in the framework of the ERA.Net Plus Project JetVA.Publisher
American Chemical Society (ACS)Journal
LANGMUIRAdditional Links
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b02304ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b02304