Morphology of poly(propylene azelate) gratings prepared by nanoimprint lithography as revealed by atomic force microscopy and grazing incidence X-ray scattering. (20th March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Soccio, M.; Rueda, D.R.; García-Gutiérrez, M.C.; Alayo, N.; Pérez-Murano, F.; Lotti, N.; Munari, A.; Ezquerra, T.A.
• Is Part Of: Polymer. Volume 61(2015)
• Page Start: 61
• Page End: 67
• Publication Date: 2015-03-20
• Subjects: Polymer nanoconfinement -- Grazing incidence X-ray scattering -- Nanoimprint lithography; Polymers -- Periodicals; Polymerization -- Periodicals; Polymères -- Périodiques; Polymérisation -- Périodiques; 547.7
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2015.01.066
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-3861

Abstract

Abstract: Nanostructured gratings of semicrystalline poly(propylene azelate) (PPAz) have been prepared over spin-coated thin films by Nanoimprint Lithography (NIL). The structure and morphology of the gratings have been investigated by combining Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Grazing Incidence X-ray Scattering at small angle (GISAXS) and wide angle (GIWAXS). The results reveal that NIL affects significantly the orientation of the crystalline lamellae. PPAz gratings are more abundant in edge-on lamellae than the reference non-printed films. We attribute this effect to the PPAz preferential crystallization as flat-on lamellae on silicon surfaces either the stamp trench walls or the substrate surface. Thus, the flat-on lamellae on the trench walls appear to be edge-on lamellae in the printed sample. These results further support NIL as an appropriate procedure in order to control polymer crystal orientation. Graphical abstract: