The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Surface modification technologies have been widely used to impart additive functionalities, such as anti-fouling property, biocompatibility, and wettability with the preservation of bulk properties of materials. However, conventional approaches have limitations including poor long-term stability, uneven or deficient surface density for polymer grafting, and the requirement of additional processing steps. As an alternative strategy, surface segregation refers to the enrichment of additives at the sub-surface of polymer blends driven by enthalpic and/or entropic forces, enabling efficient control of surface properties without complex processing steps. In this study, a novel additive platform based on cyclic polymer topology was developed to enhance a surface segregation behavior. Compared to linear polymer additives, the polymer blend system with cyclic oligomer additives exhibited approximately 1.5 times higher surface segregation.