English Abstract

Characterization of Polymer Interfaces by Energy-Filtering TEM

Shin HORIUCHI
Nanosystem Research Institute, AIST, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Nippon Gomu Kyokaishi,(2012),85(10),324-331 General Review in Japanese

Energy-Filtering TEM (EFTEM) was performed for the investigation of polymer interfaces. Polymer-polymer adhesion with various interfacial thicknesses formed between styrene-acrylonitrile random copolymer (SAN) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was studied by oxygen and nitrogen mapping and electron-energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). Polymers brushes grafted on silica nanoparticles and organic dyes adsorbed on silica nanoparticles have been successfully characterized by high-resolution carbon mapping with contamination-free TEM.

Keywords: EFETM, Elemental mapping, EELS, Interface, Adhesion, Core-shell structure, Nanoparticle