Preparation and properties of very thin films of syndiotacticity‐rich poly(vinyl alcohol)

Abstract

AbstractVery thin films of poly(vinyl alcohol) could be prepared by utilizing the adsorption of polymer molecules at air/water interface from the aqueous solutions of the poly(vinyl alcohol) derived from vinyl trifluoroacetate. The films prepared by the bubble method were thinner than those obtained by the frame method. The minimum thickness of the former films was 260 Å and that of the latter was 1800 Å. These very thin films resisted water at temperatures below 55°C. The maximum Young's modulus of the drawn/annealed films prepared from these samples was 30 GPa. The permeability of water, Jw/δP, was 2–6 × 10−3 cm · s−1 atm−1 (0–55°C) for the untreated film (thickness: 1800 Å) prepared by the frame method and 0.8–2.2 × 10−2cm · s−1 · atm−1 (5–55°C) for the untreated film (360 Å) prepared by the bubble method, and depended on the thickness of film.