Comb-like polymer blends of poly(oxyethylene)s with CH3-terminated and CF3-terminated alkylsulfonylmethyl side chains: effect of terminal CF3 moiety on the surface properties of the blends

Abstract

The surface properties of comb-like polymer blends of poly(oxyethylene)s having CH(3)-terminated and CF(3)-terminated alkylsulfonylmethyl side chains were studied. These side chains were found to be well oriented on the surface of the blends, while being phase separated, forming various surface morphologies composed of holes, islands, or connected islands, because of their immiscibility resulting from their different polarities. The domain size of each polymer on the blend surface was found to be almost linearly proportional to the bulk compositions of the mixture, and the CF(3)-terminated alkylsulfonylmethyl side chain domains were found to be located in the lower region of the surface. The polar CF(3)-terminal groups in the lower regions were deemed to control the surface properties, because the contact angles and stick-slip behaviors of the blends containing more than 40 mol% of poly(oxyethylene) with CF(3)-terminated side chains were almost identical.