Effects of Ozone in Surface Modification and Thermal Stability of SEBS Block Copolymers Articles uri icon

publication date

  • June 2010

start page

  • 975

end page

  • 986

issue

  • 6

volume

  • 95

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0141-3910

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1873-2321

abstract

  • SEBS block copolymers were treated under mild conditions in an ozone atmosphere, producing very slightly chemically-modified surfaces. The thermal stability was analysed by chemiluminescence and related to
    morphological changes observed by AFM. The intrinsic thermal stability
    was diminished by ozone exposure, but the oxidation induction times were
    delayed which indicates an enhancement of thermal stability under
    oxidative conditions. Also, chemiluminescence analysis showed the
    presence of a typical order&-disorder transition at temperatures around
    120 °C. Two different sets of samples which showed different
    morphological patterns were imaged by AFM. The effects of micro-domain
    separation and inter-domain structure on thermal properties are
    discussed and explained by a coarsening of the internal interface
    induced by ozone. A detailed 2D Fourier transformed analysis of AFM
    images allowed us to identify a regular wrinkled nano-pattern induced by
    uniaxial strain combined with ozone treatment, offering new
    opportunities in applications ranging from organic electronics to
    bio-patterning.