Quantitative approach towards the measurement of polypropylene/(ethylene-propylene) copolymer blends surface elastic properties by AFM
(1998) Nanotechnology — Vol. 9, n° 4, p. 305-315 (1998)
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- Atomic force microscopies were used to quantitatively study and map the surface elastic properties of polymers and polypropylene/ethylene-propylene copolymer blends (PP/EP). Force curve and force modulation measurements were realized on polymers with moduli ranging from 10 to 3000 MPa. Both types of measurements enable us to classify polymers as a function of their rigidity. For rigid polymers, the results are in quantitative agreement with the predictions of a simple elastic model. The influence of a thin polymer layer on the surface elastic properties was also investigated. Force modulation responses are influenced by the subsurface elastic properties down to depths that may reach hundreds of nanometres. Force modulation microscopy was performed on the surface of physical blend compression-moulded plates and of 'reactor blend' injection-moulded plates. Images reveal soft regions embedded in a rigid matrix. For the physical blend, the force modulation measurements indicate that the rigidity on the EP nodules is close to that measured on pure EP, suggesting that the nodules are present at the outermost surface. Conversely, for the 'reactor blend', the EP nodules have an intermediary rigidity between those measured on bulk EP nodules and on pure PP, suggesting that EP nodules are under a skin of PP.
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Tomasetti, E., Legras, R., & Nysten, B. (1998). Quantitative approach towards the measurement of polypropylene/(ethylene-propylene) copolymer blends surface elastic properties by AFM. Nanotechnology, 9(4), 305-315. https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/9/4/001 (Original work published 1998)