Interfacial molecular structure and orientation evolution of the polystyrene under confinement during annealing revealed by sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy
Mingfeng Zhang , Xintong Hu , Ziyun Wang , De Hou , Linhua Hu , Bolin Li , Ganhong Zheng , Zhigao Sheng
{"title":"Interfacial molecular structure and orientation evolution of the polystyrene under confinement during annealing revealed by sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy","authors":"Mingfeng Zhang , Xintong Hu , Ziyun Wang , De Hou , Linhua Hu , Bolin Li , Ganhong Zheng , Zhigao Sheng","doi":"10.1016/j.susc.2024.122506","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The geometrical confinement directly affects many crucial properties of polymer thin films by interfacial interactions. A key to understanding the role of these interfacial interactions is to specifically probe the confined interface at the molecular level and <em>in situ</em>. However, the direct and nondestructive detection of interfacial polymer structures under confinement is very difficult. In this study, specific interface-sensitive sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy was applied to study the deuterated PS (<em>d</em><sub>8</sub>-PS) film confined between hydrogenated poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films at the molecular level and <em>in situ</em>. The results showed that the ordering/orientation of the PS chain (backbone and phenyl group) evolved at the buried <em>d</em><sub>8</sub>-PS/PMMA interface during annealing. The tilt angle of the PS phenyl group increased while the twist angle decreased with elevated annealing temperature. Both overall SFG ssp and ppp intensities decreased after annealing at 433 K for 24 h, indicating that PS chains entangled with or penetrated the PMMA chains at the confined interface. This study qualitatively and quantitatively revealed the interfacial structure and structural evolution of the PS chain confined between PMMA films <em>in situ</em> during annealing, which is beneficial to the molecular-level understanding of the interfacial chain conformational relaxation of polymers under confinement.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":22100,"journal":{"name":"Surface Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Surface Science","FirstCategoryId":"92","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0039602824000578","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, PHYSICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The geometrical confinement directly affects many crucial properties of polymer thin films by interfacial interactions. A key to understanding the role of these interfacial interactions is to specifically probe the confined interface at the molecular level and in situ. However, the direct and nondestructive detection of interfacial polymer structures under confinement is very difficult. In this study, specific interface-sensitive sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy was applied to study the deuterated PS (d8-PS) film confined between hydrogenated poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films at the molecular level and in situ. The results showed that the ordering/orientation of the PS chain (backbone and phenyl group) evolved at the buried d8-PS/PMMA interface during annealing. The tilt angle of the PS phenyl group increased while the twist angle decreased with elevated annealing temperature. Both overall SFG ssp and ppp intensities decreased after annealing at 433 K for 24 h, indicating that PS chains entangled with or penetrated the PMMA chains at the confined interface. This study qualitatively and quantitatively revealed the interfacial structure and structural evolution of the PS chain confined between PMMA films in situ during annealing, which is beneficial to the molecular-level understanding of the interfacial chain conformational relaxation of polymers under confinement.
期刊介绍:
Surface Science is devoted to elucidating the fundamental aspects of chemistry and physics occurring at a wide range of surfaces and interfaces and to disseminating this knowledge fast. The journal welcomes a broad spectrum of topics, including but not limited to:
• model systems (e.g. in Ultra High Vacuum) under well-controlled reactive conditions
• nanoscale science and engineering, including manipulation of matter at the atomic/molecular scale and assembly phenomena
• reactivity of surfaces as related to various applied areas including heterogeneous catalysis, chemistry at electrified interfaces, and semiconductors functionalization
• phenomena at interfaces relevant to energy storage and conversion, and fuels production and utilization
• surface reactivity for environmental protection and pollution remediation
• interactions at surfaces of soft matter, including polymers and biomaterials.
Both experimental and theoretical work, including modeling, is within the scope of the journal. Work published in Surface Science reaches a wide readership, from chemistry and physics to biology and materials science and engineering, providing an excellent forum for cross-fertilization of ideas and broad dissemination of scientific discoveries.