Modulating Polymer-Substrate Interactions and Structure of Polymer Adsorption Layers via Solvent Vapor Annealing
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초록
내용
Polymer thin films are known to form a layer of chains adsorbed to the substrate, often referred as a polymer adsorption layer, which governs the physical properties of the entire film. Despite various efforts to investigate polymer adsorption, conventional work lacks detailed research on how solvent interactions can affect polymer adsorption layers. In this study, we have investigated the rearrangement of polymer chains adsorbed onto solid substrates by exposing polymer thin films to solvent vapor. We discovered that the use of particular type of solvents alter the effective interactions between polymer and substrate during the solvent vapor annealing process. Unlike immersing the films into liquid solvents, which can be excessive, a solvent vapor environment provides an adequate degree of polymer-solvent interactions, enabling chain rearrangement on solid substrates. Furthermore, we discuss how these rearranged chains can affect the dynamics of unadsorbed chains from an upper polymer layer.