title: Nanoscopic surface patterns of diblock copolymer thin films.
abstract: The surface topography of thin diblock copolymer films is studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM). With AFM an island-to-ribbon transition is observed for symmetric polystyrene-b-poly (4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) on mica with increasing solution concentration. Our study also demonstrates how the formation of the pattern strongly depends on the copolymer composition based on the volume fraction. The substrate and solvent used both have great effects on the morphology of the thin films. Only by using highly polar substrate (mica), can we gain regular pattern. The reason why the regular islands cannot be obtained with symmetric PS-b-P4VP on graphite is also explained. On mica using nonselective and selective solvents, a rather regular pattern can be obtained. The difference is only in the solution concentration for forming regular patterns.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130022, Changchun, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Junchai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Shizhe
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaobo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shichun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Xiangling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Lijia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Bingzheng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011137:Polystyrenes; D011725:Pyridines; D012997:Solvents; C029351:4-vinylpyridine