Issue 2, 2011
From the journal:

Soft Matter

Morphology of poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene blends upon Langmuir–Schaefer deposition†

Maija Pohjakallio,a   Timo Aho,a   Kyösti Kontturia  and  Eero Kontturi*b  

* Corresponding authors

a Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Technology, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, Aalto, Finland

b Department of Forest Products Technology, School of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 16300, Aalto, Finland
E-mail: eero.kontturi@tkk.fi
Fax: +358 9 470 24259
Tel: +358 9 470 24250

Abstract

Langmuir–Schaefer (LS) deposition of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) 10 : 1 and 5 : 1 (mass ratios) blends has been investigated by recording (i) surface pressure isotherms of the Langmuir films at the air/water interface and (ii) atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of the LS films deposited on silica substrates. The results suggest a complete phase separation of PMMA and PS at the air/water interface resulting in a PMMA monolayer on top of which PS islands anchor. However, upon LS dipping, the transfer of PMMA onto the solid substrate is obstructed by the PS domains, which leads to a morphology where a continuous PMMA layer is located at the air-exposed surface. The resulting LS film is thus not a stamped replica of the corresponding floating Langmuir film. The results of this study give new insights for the preparation of bicomponent LS films, especially those containing blends of immiscible polymers.

Graphical abstract: Morphology of poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene blends upon Langmuir–Schaefer deposition

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Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/C0SM00360C
Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 May 2010
Accepted
27 Sep 2010
First published
11 Nov 2010

Soft Matter, 2011,7, 743-748

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Morphology of poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene blends upon Langmuir–Schaefer deposition

M. Pohjakallio, T. Aho, K. Kontturi and E. Kontturi, Soft Matter, 2011, 7, 743 DOI: 10.1039/C0SM00360C

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