Abstract
Effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on thermal stability of polymeric thin film are investigated in this study. Polystyrene with molecular weight of 52,000 g/mol is used as a base polymer. The concentrations of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in polystyrene are varied from 0-0.20 wt.%. Films are fabricated by spin casting on Si wafer substrate and annealed at 180 °C and 190 °C for various times in order to study dynamics of dewetting. Film morphologies are analysed by optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Dewetting areas of each film as a function of annealing time are determined. It is found that addition of titanium dioxide nanoparticles suppresses dewetting in polystyrene film with thicknesses of ~30 nm and ~100 nm. The same titanium dioxide amounts, on the other hand, accelerate dewetting process in the film with thickness of ~265 nm. Mechanisms of dewetting suppression in polymeric film by titanium dioxide nanoparticles are discussed.
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