AFM Surface Studies of Polychloroprene/Piperylene-Styrene Copolymer Blends

Abstract

Films of a binary polymer blends comprising polychloroprene (PCP) and piperylene-styrene copolymer (PSC) have been prepared by solution casting. The dependence of the surface structure and morphology of the films on PSC content was investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM imaging has shown that the changes of the surface morphology can be characterized as a function of interaction between blend components. It was obtained that up to 15 wt% PSC is distributed continuously in PCP bulk. However, the surface enrichment of PCP has been observed in the blends containing 25 wt% or more PSC. In these cases AFM images reveal distinctions between upside and underside of the blend films. It was been found that segregation of PCP on the upside favours the increase of PSC concentration at the film underside. The films underside morphology becomes similar to that of neat PSC, when PSC content reaches 40 wt%. The changes in the morphology results on PCP:PSC blend adhesion enhance to thermoplastic rubber surface. The adhesion properties of PCP:PSC blend mainly are determined by the increase of the compatibility between polymer film, used as adhesive, and substrate surface.