Determination of surface morphology of diblock copolymers of styrene and butadiene by atomic force microscopy

Abstract

Abstract A detailed study by atomic force microscopy of the surfaces of diblock copolymers which exhibit lamellar and spherical microphase domains in the bulk is presented. The surface morphology of the lamellar samples consists of corrugations. Transmission electron microscopy of cross sections which include the surface and near surface demonstrate the connection between the corrugations and the bulk lamellae. The surface of a sample with spherical bulk domains was found to consist of a series of pits that can be linked with centers on the faces of the cubic cell arrangement of the bulk. Disclinations and intersections of lamellae could be found. The latter result in lamellar break‐up in the contact area of the two lamellar orientations. Lamellar tilt can lead to variation in periodicity and depth of the surface morphology. Damage due to scanning was observed, but only for the sample with spherical morphology.