Surface mobile layer of polystyrene film below bulk glass transition temperature [5]

Interfacial thickness of surface mobile layer of polystyrene (PS) film below bulk glass transition temperature was studied. Uniformity of the bilayer interface, built from two surfaces of monodisperse PS (hPS) and monodisperse deuterated PS (dPS), was confirmed using atomic force microscopy. The interfacial broadening of the bilayer by annealing was examined on the basis of depth profiling by dynamic secondary ion mass spectroscopic (DSIMS) measurements. Interfacial thickness was found to monotically increase with annealing time at 393 K above bulk glass transition temperature. Results indicated constant interfacial thickness at temperatures between bulk glass transition temperature and surface glass transition temperature.