Eur. Phys. J. E 8, 111-120 (2002)
DOI: 10.1140/epje/i2001-10058-x
Surface visco-elastic moduli of a Langmuir film of a polystyrene-polydimethyl siloxane block copolymer at the air-ethyl benzoate interface
J.T.E. Cook and R.W. RichardsInterdisciplinary Research Centre in Polymer Science and Technology, University of Durham, Durham DH1 3LE, UK r.w.richards@durham.ac.uk
(Received 21 August 2001 and Received in final form 11 January 2002)
Abstract
Surface quasi-elastic light scattering has been applied to a spread film of
a block copolymer of polystyrene and polydimethyl siloxane. The influence of
surface concentration (surface pressure) at a fixed surface wave number has
been explored. The capillary wave frequency and damping showed a similar
dependence on the surface concentration as values obtained earlier, but due
to a more appropriate analysis of the correlation functions, surface visco-elastic
moduli obtained were distinctly different. By correlating the values
obtained with the variations in solvated polystyrene layer thickness from
neutron reflectometry, the maximum in dilational modulus was shown to occur
at the same nominal surface concentration where the layer begins to stretch
and take on brush-like behaviour. This same surface concentration is where
the relaxation time of the spread film also has a maximum value, the
relaxation time being calculated using the standard linear model of
visco-elasticity, which was found to fit the frequency dependence of the
surface tension and dilational moduli at the resonant nominal surface
concentration of 3.1 mg m
-2.
68.03.Kn - Dynamics (capillary waves).
61.41.+e - Polymers, elastomers, and plastics.
82.35.Gh - Polymers on surfaces; adhesion.
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag 2002
