Etude de films ultraminces de polystyrène par réflectivité des rayons X et ellipsométrie en fonction de leur exposition à du CO2

The aim of this work is to study in-situ and ex-situ interaction of carbon dioxide (CO2) with thin films of polystyrene and surfaces by two main techniques: the X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and ellipsometry.In this thesis, we address the study of the physical properties of polystyrene films (PS) in the confined state (thin films) and their evolution when exposed to CO2 pressure. We demonstrate by XRR and ellipsometry in the same films that the density and the refractive index increase when the film thickness decreases. We confirm the decrease of Tg for PS films of thickness less than 70 nm according to the empirical law of Keddie [1]. Both results could mean that ultrathin films have a certain organization of channels.We then discuss the behavior of PS ultra thin films exposed to CO2 as a function of CO2 pressure by XRR made at synchrotron radiation (ESRF ID10B line). We monitor in situ the swelling and deswelling of the 7 nm thin film thickness upon pressurization and depressurization of CO2. By calculating the evolution of the electron density in the film, we highlight the existence of a glass transition pressure Pg and a residual swelling due to the presence of CO2 molecules trapped inside the film [2].We propose then an ex-situ XRR study of swelling and kinetic of deswelling for PS swollen films. We observe that the thin films have a higher swelling and deswelling capacity compare to the thicker films. We note that this phenomenon is highly dependent to the depressurization rate. Indeed, we find that the rapid depressurization greatly enhances not only the swelling of the film, but also its deswelling over time. We then highlight that the rate of depressurization clearly governs the final state of swolen films, to say the metastable state or glassy state.Finally, we study the effect of film swelling by CO2 on the evolution of the glass transition temperature. This study is carried out mainly by ellipsometry. We show that these films which showed only a single Tg value before exposure, after exposure has three values of Tg completely independent of film thickness. By following the thickness evolution of these swollen films as a function of temperature, we offer answers that can explain the different Tg values observed. In addition, we highlight the existence of CO2 stored in these films. After annealing above 150 ° C, the films show the same behavior as before exposure to CO2 which is far from the equilibrium state of the bulk polymer. We confirm therefore the existence of strong restoring forces in ultrathin films that bring them back to their initial states of non-equilibrium. This result presents similarities to that concerning the evolution of the Tg due to confinement in ultrathin films before exposure.L’objectif principal de ce travail est d’étudier in-situ et ex-situ l’interaction du dioxyde de carbone (CO2) avec les films minces de polystyrène et les surfaces par deux techniques principales : la réflectivité des rayons X (RRX) et l’ellipsométrie.Dans cette thèse, nous abordons l’étude des propriétés physiques de films de polystyrène (PS) à l’état confiné (films minces) et leur évolution lors de leur exposition à du CO2 sous pression. Nous démontrons par RRX et par ellipsométrie sur les mêmes films que la densité et l’indice de réfraction augmentent quand l’épaisseur du film diminue. Nous confirmons la diminution de Tg pour des films de PS d’épaisseur inférieure à 70 nm selon la loi empirique de Keddie [1]. Ces deux résultats pourraient signifier que les films ultraminces présentent une certaine organisation des chaines.Nous abordons ensuite le comportement des films ultra minces de PS exposés à du CO2 en fonction de la pression de CO2 par réflectivité de rayons X (RRX) faite au rayonnement synchrotron (ESRF ligne ID10B). Nous suivons in-situ le gonflement et le dégonflement du film mince d’épaisseur 7 nm lors de la pressurisation et la dépressurisation du CO2. Par calcul de l’évolution de la densité électronique dans le film, nous mettons en évidence l’existence d’une pression de transition vitreuse Pg et d’un gonflement rémanent lié à la présence de molécules de CO2 piégées dans le film [2].Nous proposons par la suite une étude ex-situ par RRX du gonflement et de l’évolution au cours du temps des films de PS gonflés. Nous observons que les films minces présentent une plus grande capacité de gonflement et dégonflement au cours du temps par opposition aux films plus épais. Nous constatons que ce phénomène est fortement dépendant du taux de dépressurisation. En effet, nous constatons que la dépressurisation rapide renforce considérablement, non seulement le gonflement du film, mais aussi son dégonflement au cours du temps. Nous mettons alors en évidence que le taux de dépressurisation régit clairement l'état final des films gonflés, à savoir l’état métastable ou l’état vitreux.Finalement, nous étudions l’influence du gonflement du film par le CO2 sur l’évolution de la température de transition vitreuse. Cette étude est effectuée principalement par ellipsométrie. Nous montrons que ces films qui ne présentaient qu’une valeur unique de Tg avant exposition, présentent après exposition trois valeurs de Tg. En suivant l’évolution de l’épaisseur de ces films gonflés en fonction de la température, nous proposons des réponses qui peuvent expliquer les différentes Tg observées. En outre, nous mettons en évidence l’existence du CO2 stocké dans les films. Après un recuit au dessus de 150°C, les films reprennent le même comportement qu’avant exposition au CO2 qui est loin d’être l’état d’équilibre du polymère massique. Nous confirmons par ce fait l’existence de fortes forces de rappel dans les films ultraminces qui les ramènent vers leurs états initiaux de non équilibre. Ce résultat est à rapprocher de celui concernant l’évolution de la Tg due au confinement dans les films ultraminces avant exposition

Oxidation and unzipping in ELIUM resin: Kinetic model for mass loss

This paper gives a first study of the thermal and thermal oxidative ageing of ELIUM® resins. Chain ends unzipping was observed to be the main degradation mechanism under nitrogen whereas an oxidation mechanism with random chain scissions is shown to predominate in presence of oxygen. A first simplified kinetic model is proposed and fits experimental results for thin films at temperatures ranging from 230 to 310°C under oxygen or nitrogen

Study of Polystyrene ultrathin film by X-ray reflectivity and ellipsometry according to CO2 exposure

L’objectif principal de ce travail est d’étudier in-situ et ex-situ l’interaction du dioxyde de carbone (CO2) avec les films minces de polystyrène et les surfaces par deux techniques principales : la réflectivité des rayons X (RRX) et l’ellipsométrie.Dans cette thèse, nous abordons l’étude des propriétés physiques de films de polystyrène (PS) à l’état confiné (films minces) et leur évolution lors de leur exposition à du CO2 sous pression. Nous démontrons par RRX et par ellipsométrie sur les mêmes films que la densité et l’indice de réfraction augmentent quand l’épaisseur du film diminue. Nous confirmons la diminution de Tg pour des films de PS d’épaisseur inférieure à 70 nm selon la loi empirique de Keddie [1]. Ces deux résultats pourraient signifier que les films ultraminces présentent une certaine organisation des chaines.Nous abordons ensuite le comportement des films ultra minces de PS exposés à du CO2 en fonction de la pression de CO2 par réflectivité de rayons X (RRX) faite au rayonnement synchrotron (ESRF ligne ID10B). Nous suivons in-situ le gonflement et le dégonflement du film mince d’épaisseur 7 nm lors de la pressurisation et la dépressurisation du CO2. Par calcul de l’évolution de la densité électronique dans le film, nous mettons en évidence l’existence d’une pression de transition vitreuse Pg et d’un gonflement rémanent lié à la présence de molécules de CO2 piégées dans le film [2].Nous proposons par la suite une étude ex-situ par RRX du gonflement et de l’évolution au cours du temps des films de PS gonflés. Nous observons que les films minces présentent une plus grande capacité de gonflement et dégonflement au cours du temps par opposition aux films plus épais. Nous constatons que ce phénomène est fortement dépendant du taux de dépressurisation. En effet, nous constatons que la dépressurisation rapide renforce considérablement, non seulement le gonflement du film, mais aussi son dégonflement au cours du temps. Nous mettons alors en évidence que le taux de dépressurisation régit clairement l'état final des films gonflés, à savoir l’état métastable ou l’état vitreux.Finalement, nous étudions l’influence du gonflement du film par le CO2 sur l’évolution de la température de transition vitreuse. Cette étude est effectuée principalement par ellipsométrie. Nous montrons que ces films qui ne présentaient qu’une valeur unique de Tg avant exposition, présentent après exposition trois valeurs de Tg. En suivant l’évolution de l’épaisseur de ces films gonflés en fonction de la température, nous proposons des réponses qui peuvent expliquer les différentes Tg observées. En outre, nous mettons en évidence l’existence du CO2 stocké dans les films. Après un recuit au dessus de 150°C, les films reprennent le même comportement qu’avant exposition au CO2 qui est loin d’être l’état d’équilibre du polymère massique. Nous confirmons par ce fait l’existence de fortes forces de rappel dans les films ultraminces qui les ramènent vers leurs états initiaux de non équilibre. Ce résultat est à rapprocher de celui concernant l’évolution de la Tg due au confinement dans les films ultraminces avant exposition.The aim of this work is to study in-situ and ex-situ interaction of carbon dioxide (CO2) with thin films of polystyrene and surfaces by two main techniques: the X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and ellipsometry.In this thesis, we address the study of the physical properties of polystyrene films (PS) in the confined state (thin films) and their evolution when exposed to CO2 pressure. We demonstrate by XRR and ellipsometry in the same films that the density and the refractive index increase when the film thickness decreases. We confirm the decrease of Tg for PS films of thickness less than 70 nm according to the empirical law of Keddie [1]. Both results could mean that ultrathin films have a certain organization of channels.We then discuss the behavior of PS ultra thin films exposed to CO2 as a function of CO2 pressure by XRR made at synchrotron radiation (ESRF ID10B line). We monitor in situ the swelling and deswelling of the 7 nm thin film thickness upon pressurization and depressurization of CO2. By calculating the evolution of the electron density in the film, we highlight the existence of a glass transition pressure Pg and a residual swelling due to the presence of CO2 molecules trapped inside the film [2].We propose then an ex-situ XRR study of swelling and kinetic of deswelling for PS swollen films. We observe that the thin films have a higher swelling and deswelling capacity compare to the thicker films. We note that this phenomenon is highly dependent to the depressurization rate. Indeed, we find that the rapid depressurization greatly enhances not only the swelling of the film, but also its deswelling over time. We then highlight that the rate of depressurization clearly governs the final state of swolen films, to say the metastable state or glassy state.Finally, we study the effect of film swelling by CO2 on the evolution of the glass transition temperature. This study is carried out mainly by ellipsometry. We show that these films which showed only a single Tg value before exposure, after exposure has three values of Tg completely independent of film thickness. By following the thickness evolution of these swollen films as a function of temperature, we offer answers that can explain the different Tg values observed. In addition, we highlight the existence of CO2 stored in these films. After annealing above 150 ° C, the films show the same behavior as before exposure to CO2 which is far from the equilibrium state of the bulk polymer. We confirm therefore the existence of strong restoring forces in ultrathin films that bring them back to their initial states of non-equilibrium. This result presents similarities to that concerning the evolution of the Tg due to confinement in ultrathin films before exposure

Super critical CO2 induced hyper-swelling and relaxation in confined ultra thin PS films

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Influence of outer-layer finite-size effects on the dewetting dynamics of a thin polymer film embedded in an immiscible matrix

In capillary-driven fluid dynamics, simple departures from equilibrium offer the chance to quantitatively model the resulting relaxations. These dynamics in turn provide insight on both practical and fundamental aspects of thin-film hydrodynamics. In this work, we describe a model trilayer dewetting experiment elucidating the effect of solid, no-slip confining boundaries on the bursting of a liquid film in a viscous environment. This experiment was inspired by an industrial polymer processing technique, multilayer coextrusion, in which thousands of alternating layers are stacked atop one another. When pushed to the nanoscale limit, the individual layers are found to break up on time scales shorter than the processing time. To gain insight on this dynamic problem, we here directly observe the growth rate of holes in the middle layer of the trilayer films described above, wherein the distance between the inner film and solid boundary can be orders of magnitude larger than its thickness. Under otherwise identical experimental conditions, thinner films break up faster than thicker ones. This observation is found to agree with a scaling model that balances capillary driving power and viscous dissipation with a no-slip boundary condition at the solid substrate/viscous environment boundary. In particular, even for the thinnest middle-layers, no finite-size effect related to the middle film is needed to explain the data. The dynamics of hole growth is captured by a single master curve over four orders of magnitude in the dimensionless hole radius and time, and is found to agree well with predictions including analytical expressions for the dissipation.Paris Sciences et Lettre

Densification and Depression in Glass Transition Temperature in Polystyrene Thin Films

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Reversibility in glass transition behavior after erasing stress induced by spin coating process

International audienceThe influence of the sample preparation on the observed dependence of glass transition temperature (T-g) with thickness in polystyrene (PS) thin films has been investigated. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was used to measure the T-g of PS thin films ranging from 7 to 85 nm before and after exposition to supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO2). We take advantage of the sc-CO2 properties along with thermal annealing treatment to cancel out sample preparation history factor by removing the remnant solvent and residual stresses. The decrease in T-g shows exactly the same trend before and after sc-CO2 exposure plus thermal treatment. This result cancels out the influence of the spin coating process on the T-g depression in thin films. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Swelling of Poly( n -butyl methacrylate) Films Exposed to Supercritical Carbon Dioxide: A Comparative Study with Polystyrene

International audienceWe report here the swelling and relaxation properties of confined poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) films having thicknesses of less than 70 nm under supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) using the X-ray reflectivity technique. Swellability is found to be dominant in thinner films compared to thicker ones as a consequence of the confinement-induced densification of the former. Swellability is proportionately increased with the density of the film. PBMA films exhibit a more significant swelling than do PS films, and their differences become more prominent with the increase in film thickness. A comparison between the results obtained for polystyrene (PS) and PBMA ultrathin films reveals that the swellability is dependent upon the specific intermolecular interaction between CO2 and the chemical groups available in the polymers. Owing to strong Lewis acid–base interactions with scCO2 and the lower glass-transition temperature (bulk Tg ≈ 29 °C), PBMA films exhibit a greater amount of swelling than do PS films (bulk Tg ≈ 100 °C). Though they reach to the different swollen state upon exposition, identical relaxation behavior as a function of aging time is evidenced. This unprecedented behavior can be ascribed to the strong bonding between trapped CO2 and PBMA that probably impedes the release of CO2 molecules from the swollen PBMA films manifested in suppressed relaxation

Experimental evidence of ultrathin polymer film stratification by AFM force spectroscopy

International audienceBy performing Atomic Force Microscopy measurements of pull-off force as a function of the temperature, we were able to probe the dynamic of supported thin polystyrene (PS) films. Thermal transitions induce modifications in the surface energy, roughness and surface modulus that are clearly detected by AFM and related to PS chain relaxation mechanisms. We demonstrated the existence of three transition temperatures that can be associated to the relaxation of polymer chains located at different depth regions within the polymer film. Independently of the film thickness, we have confirmed the presence of a region of high mobility for the polymer chains at the free interface. The thickness of this region is estimated to be above 7nm. The detection of a transition only present for film thicker than the gyration radius Rg is linked to the dynamics of polymer chains in a bulk conformation (i.e. not in contact with the free interface). We claim here that our results demonstrate, in agreement with other techniques, the stratification of thin polymer film depth profile in terms of relaxation behavior

Stability of Polymer Ultrathin Films (<7 nm) Made by a Top-Down Approach

International audienceIn polymer physics, the dewetting of spin-coated polystyrene ultrathin films on silicon remains mysterious. By adopting a simple top-down method based on good solvent rinsing, we are able to prepare flat polystyrene films with a controlled thickness ranging from 1.3 to 7.0 nm. Their stability was scrutinized after a classical annealing procedure above the glass transition temperature. Films were found to be stable on oxide-free silicon irrespective of film thickness, while they were unstable (2.9 nm) on 2 nm oxide-covered silicon substrates. The Lifshitz–van der Waals intermolecular theory that predicts the domains of stability as a function of the film thickness and of the substrate nature is now fully reconciled with our experimental observations. We surmise that this reconciliation is due to the good solvent rinsing procedure that removes the residual stress and/or the density variation of the polystyrene films inhibiting thermodynamically the dewetting on oxide-free silicon