Nanotextured Morphology of Poly(methyl methacrylate)‎ and Ultraviolet Curable Poly(urethane acrylate)‎ Blends via Phase Separation

Abstract EN

Domain structures of spin-coated immiscible poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and ultraviolet (UV) curable poly(urethane acrylate) (PUA) blends were studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM).

Spin casting the PMMA/PUA blends in propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA) was accompanied with phase separation, and PUA was subsequently cross-linked under UV radiation.

Selective dissolution of PMMA in the phase-separated films was feasible using tetrahydrofuran (THF) solvent after the UV curing process, because the cured PUA material is highly stable against THF.

Morphology of phase-separated structure, including domain size and height, could be controlled by varying total concentration of the blended solution, and various nanoscale features such as island-like and hole-like structures were achieved by changing weight ratio of the two immiscible polymers.