Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of melt films of poly(alkyl methacrylate)s (PAMAs) with methyl, ethyl, and n-butyl substituents, respectively, have been performed using an all-atom model to investigate their surface and thin film properties. The applied all-atom force fields predict the bulk densities of PAMAs in good agreement with experiments. Moreover, predictions of the surface tensions of PMMA, PEMA, and Pn-BMA melts are in reasonably good agreement with experiments. The density profiles and orientational-order parameters of chain segments show atomic-scale characteristics in the air/polymer interfacial region. In the surface region, the backbone segments of PAMAs form a well-defined layer structure with the chain vectors oriented parallel to the surface, while the ester side-chains strongly segregate to the surface region and show perpendicular orientation to the surface, with the most pronounced surface segregation noted for Pn-BMA. Such surface segregations of chain segments make it difficult to apply a simple relationship between the cohesive energy density and the surface tension of polymers, for example, and should be taken into account in relating the surface/thin film characteristics to the bulk properties of polymers in general.
Keywords: cohesive energy density; polymer surfaces; polymethacrylate; surface segregation; surface tension.
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