AVS 49th International Symposium
    Applied Surface Science Tuesday Sessions
       Session AS-TuP

Paper AS-TuP17
Elucidation of Three-Dimensional Structure in Polymer Blends using Correlated Confocal Microscopy and XPS Imaging

Tuesday, November 5, 2002, 5:30 pm, Room Exhibit Hall B2

Session: Topics in Applied Surface Science
Presenter: L.A. Broadwater, Kent State University
Authors: L.A. Broadwater, Kent State University
K. Artyushkova, Kent State University
I. Smalyukh, Kent State University
O. Lavrentovich, Kent State University
J.E. Fulghum, Kent State University
Correspondent: Click to Email
The complexity of heterogeneous polymeric materials makes it difficult to distinguish between alternative morphologies using a single analytical technique. Knowledge of both polymer surface chemistry and component distribution with depth can be important. In this study, blends of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) have been investigated using confocal microscopy and imaging XPS. Confocal microscopy provides the distribution of phase separated areas as a function of depth (on a scale of microns), while XPS provides the surface distribution of phase separated regions. Conclusions based upon these comparisons will be compared to previous work from our group using imaging FTIR. This has been partially supported by NSF ALCOM and NSF CHE-0113724.