Thermotropic dynamic processes in multiphase polymer systems by (cryo-)AFM.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 24948389.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1039/c4sm00458b.
- No licence information is recorded for this record.
- Because redistribution is not established, this page shows the abstract only. Follow the links below for the full text.
Abstract
The structural (volume and enthalpy) relaxation of polymers during physical aging has a great relevance in materials science and engineering as it significantly changes the long-term material performance. In this article, we propose a methodological approach of (cryo-)atomic force microscopy (AFM) monitoring of macromolecular rearrangements which accompany structural relaxation within bulk of the polymer during physical aging. In contrast to conventional spectroscopic, scattering and thermal analysis techniques, high resolution topographical/phase imaging of the bulk cross-section over a large period of time and within a wide range of temperatures (-120 °C to +20 °C) yields unique information about the evolution of the polymer ultrastructure as a function of time and temperature in situ.