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In situ imaging and height reconstruction of phase separation processes in polymer blends during spin coating
journal contribution
posted on 2011-06-23, 11:43 authored by Stephen Ebbens, Richard Hodgkinson, Andrew J. Parnell, Alan Dunbar, Simon MartinSimon MartinSpin coating polymer blend thin films provides a method to produce multiphase
functional layers of high uniformity covering large surface areas. Applications for such layers include
photovoltaics and light-emitting diodes where performance relies upon the nanoscale phase
separation morphology of the spun !lm. Furthermore, at micrometer scales, phase separation
provides a route to produce self-organized structures for templating applications. Understanding the
factors that determine the final phase-separated morphology in these systems is consequently an
important goal. However, it has to date proved problematic to fully test theoretical models for phase
separation during spin coating, due to the high spin speeds, which has limited the spatial resolution
of experimental data obtained during the coating process. Without this fundamental understanding,
production of optimized micro- and nanoscale structures is hampered. Here, we have employed
synchronized stroboscopic illumination together with the high light gathering sensitivity of an
electron-multiplying charge-coupled device camera to optically observe structure evolution in such
blends during spin coating. Furthermore the use of monochromatic illumination has allowed
interference reconstruction of three-dimensional topographies of the spin-coated film as it dries and
phase separates with nanometer precision. We have used this new method to directly observe the
phase separation process during spinning for a polymer blend (PS-PI) for the first time, providing
new insights into the spin-coating process and opening up a route to understand and control phase
separation structures.
History
School
- Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering
Department
- Materials
Citation
EBBENS, S. ... et al, 2011. In situ imaging and height reconstruction of phase separation processes in polymer blends during spin coating. ACS Nano, 5 (6), pp. 5124–5131.Publisher
ACS Publications (© American Chemical Society)Version
- NA (Not Applicable or Unknown)
Publication date
2011Notes
This item is Closed Access. To access the final edited and published work see http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/nn201210eISSN
1936-0851Publisher version
Language
- en