Nanotribology of polymer blends

Abstract

We investigated rheological and tribological properties of polystyrene (PS) and poly (vinyl methyl ether) blends by atomic force microscopy. Glass transition temperature measurements showed that the blends whose PS contents were 80% (PS80) and 60% (PS60) were in the glassy state and in the glass-rubber transition state at room temperature, respectively. The force-distance curves were consistent with these results. The dependence of the frictional force Ff of mica on the load indicated that only adhesional component contributed to Ff. In contrast, the viscoelastic deformation of the surface of the blends contributed to the additional component of Ff. PS60, which was in the transition state, exhibited the largest value of Ff because of the large deformation. The value of Ff of PS60 had a hysteresis in the loading and unloading processes because the tip penetration depth was larger in the unloading process. The large penetration depth of PS60 in the negative load region in the unloading process is ascribed to the pull-off effect of the polymer chains.