https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2008-10394-3
Regular Article
Effect of atmosphere on reductions in the glass transition of thin polystyrene films
1
Department of Physics & Astronomy and the Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
2
Department of Physics & Astronomy and Guelph-Waterloo Physics Institute, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
* e-mail: dalnoki@mcmaster.ca
Received:
15
July
2008
Revised:
27
September
2008
Accepted:
20
October
2008
Published online:
20
November
2008
We have used nulling ellipsometry to measure the glass transition temperature, T g , of thin films of polystyrene in ambient, dry nitrogen, and vacuum environments. For all environments, the measured T g values decrease with decreasing film thickness in a way that is quantitatively similar to previously reported studies in ambient conditions. These results provide strong reinforcement of previous conclusions that such reduced T g values are an intrinsic property of the confined material. Furthermore, the results are in contrast to recent reports which suggest that the T g reductions measured by many researchers are the results of artifacts (i.e. degradation of the polymer due to annealing in ambient conditions, or moisture content).
PACS: 36.20.-r Macromolecules and polymer molecules – / 64.70.pj Polymers – / 68.60.-p Physical properties of thin films, nonelectronic –
© EDP Sciences, SIF, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2008
