Studies on surface structures of poly(ethylene oxide)-segmented nylon films

Abstract

The surface structures of three kinds of poly(ethylene oxide)-segmented nylon (PEO-Nyl molten films were investigated using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM), an electron spectroscopy for a chemical analysis (ESCA), and a static secondary ion mass spectrometry (SSIMS). The PEO-Ny's used were high semicrystalline PEO-segmented poly(iminosebacoyliminohexamethylene) (PEO-Ny610), low semicrystalline PEO-segmented poly(iminosebacoylimino-m-xylene) (PEO-NyM10), and amorphous PEO-segmented poly(iminoisophthaloyliminomethylene-1,3-cyclohexylenemethylene) (PEO-NyBI). SEM observations show that the surfaces of the PEO-Ny610 and PEO-NyMlO films are composed of spherulite, and that PEO-NyBI film has a smooth surface. The results of ESCA and SSIMS exhibit the significant enrichments of PEO segment at the surfaces of all the films regardless of the crystallinity. The reason for the enrichment of PEO segment was discussed in terms of the surface tension of the corresponding homopolymers in the melting state.