Abstract
AbstractThis study investigated the stereocomplex‐induced surface structure of enantiomeric poly(lactide) (PLA) blend films by time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF‐SIMS). The design of the blend systems was based on the principle of surface segregation of a modified component with a low surface energy, fluorine‐end‐capped PLLA (F‐PLLA). Analysis of F‐PLLA/PDLA and F‐PLLA/PLLA blends, yielded a difference in the ion beam‐induced behavior between fluorine and lactide groups. In addition, a completely phase‐separated sample of PLLA with the fluorine end‐capping agent cast onto the surface was used for a real analysis of peak intensities from the two components, simulating bulk compositions. The two blend systems, uncomplexed (F‐PLLA/PLLA) and complexed (F‐PLLA/PDLA) blends, showed quite different surface structures: namely, a higher fluorine concentration was observed in the uncomplexed blends while the complexed blends showed a wider range of fluorine concentrations, depending on the degree of complexation. This indicates that the complexed blends offer a greater level of control over the surface fluorine concentration because this concentration changes more significantly with the blend composition (or the degree of complexation). Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Published Version
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