title: Interfacial Effects on Nanoscale Wrinkling in Gold-Covered Polystyrene.
abstract: Nanoscale wrinkling on the surfaces of polymer-based materials can be precisely controlled by depositing thin metal films of varying thicknesses. The deposition of these films fundamentally alters the mechanical properties of the substrates in ways that are not simply described using traditional continuum mechanical frameworks. In particular, we find, by modeling within a finite element analysis approach, that the very act of depositing a metal film may alter the Young's modulus of the polymer substrate to depths of up to a few hundred nanometers, creating a modified interfacial skin layer. We find that simulated wrinkle patterns reproduce the experimentally observed features only when the modulus of this surface layer varies by more than ∼500 nm and is described using a sigmoidal gradient multiplier.
authors: Craig T
authors: CT
authors: Chapman
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria , Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8W 2Y2.
authors: Jeffrey T
authors: JT
authors: Paci
authors: Won-Kyu
authors: WK
authors: Lee
authors: Clifford J
authors: CJ
authors: Engel
authors: Teri W
authors: TW
authors: Odom
authors: George C
authors: GC
authors: Schatz
keywords: finite element simulations; interfaces; polystyrene; surfaces; thin films; wrinkles