Reduced Glass Transition Temperatures in Thin Polymer Films: Surface Effect or Artifact?

Oliver Bäumchen; Joshua D. McGraw; James A. Forrest; Kari Dalnoki-Veress

doi:https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.109.055701

doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.109.055701

Reduced Glass Transition Temperatures in Thin Polymer Films: Surface Effect or Artifact?

,

,

..., Kari Dalnoki-Veress

34

Physical Review Letters8.60

Volume: 109, Issue: 5

Published: Aug 3, 2012

Abstract

We have examined the direct effect of manipulating the number of free surfaces on the measured glass transition temperature {T}_{\mathrm{g}}of thin polystyrene films. Thin films in the range 35\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{nm}<h<114\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{nm}with molecular weights of 592\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{kg}/\mathrm{mol}and 1144\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{kg}/\mathrm{mol}were studied. Ellipsometry was used to determine the...