Effect of Low Surface Energy Chain Ends on the Glass Transition Temperature of Polymer Thin Films

Abstract

The T_g of thin films of PS with sec-butyl-initiated proton terminations and those with the lower energy fluoroalkylsilyl termination was measured. In comparison, the latter exhibit a drastically higher reduction in the T_g with decreasing film thickness. The result evidences the first time that a surface layer sufficiently plasticized by segregated chain ends may have a global effect on the T_g of a polymer film.