This article is cited in 2 papers

Mechanical properties, strength physics and plasticity

Atomic force microscopy of the supramolecular organization and strength properties of ultrathin polysiloxane block copolymer films

I. A. Nyapshaev^a, A. V. Ankudinov^ab, A. P. Voznyakovskii<sup>c

a</sup> Ioffe Institute, St. Petersburg
^b St. Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics
^c S. V. Lebedev Synthetic Rubber Research Institute

Abstract: Ultrathin films of polysiloxane block copolymers and their composites with modifying additives of the C$_{60}$ fullerene have been studied using atomic force microscopy. It has been revealed that, independently of the concentration of the additives, the surface relief of the films has an ordered structure with a period of approximately 35 nm, which is associated with the presence of a spatial network of rigid block domains of ladder phenylsilasesquioxane in the block copolymer. The mechanical properties of the films have been determined from indentation tests of their surface layers. Reliable quantitative measurements have been performed with specially fabricated spherical indenters of the calibrated submicron radius of curvature. The obtained values of the strength parameters correlate with the data derived from standard physical and mechanical tests of thick films. It has been found that the addition of the C$_{60}$ fullerene at a level of 0.01% significantly improves the elasticity of the surface layers of the block copolymer.

Received: 28.02.2011

 English version: Physics of the Solid State, 2011, 53:9, 1882–1890

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