Effect of intermolecular hydrogen bonding on low-surface-energy material of poly(vinylphenol).
We discovered that poly(vinylphenol) (PVPh) possesses an extremely low surface energy (15.7 mJ/m2) after a simple thermal treatment procedure, even lower than that of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (22.0 mJ/m2) calculated on the basis of the two-liquid geometric method. Infrared analyses indicate that the intermolecular hydrogen bonding of PVPh decreases by converting the hydroxyl group into a free hydroxyl and increasing intramolecular hydrogen bonding after thermal treatment. PVPh results in a lower surface energy because of the decrease of intermolecular hydrogen bonding between hydroxyl groups. In addition, we also compared surface energies of PVPh-co-PS (polystyrene) copolymers (random and block) and their corresponding blends. Again, these random copolymers possess a lower fraction of intermolecular hydrogen bonding and surface energy than the corresponding block copolymers or blends after similar thermal treatment. This finding provides a unique and easy method to prepare a low-surface-energy material through a simple thermal treatment procedure without using fluoro polymers or silicones.
Lin
Han-Ching
HC
Institute of Applied Chemistry, National Chiao Tung University, 30050 Hsinchu, Taiwan.
Wang
Chih-Feng
CF
Kuo
Shiao-Wei
SW
Tung
Pao-Hsiang
PH
Huang
Chih-Feng
CF
Lin
Chun-Hung
CH
Chang
Feng-Chih
FC