Three-dimensional morphological analysis of polymer blends through combined ToF-SIMS/AFM*

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) enables three-dimensional compositional analysis using a focused ion beam along with an argon cluster beam for depth profiling. Combined with atomic force microscopy (AFM), topographical and compositional information can be acquired simultaneously. We apply ToF-SIMS to study the phase behavior of blends of bottlebrush polymers with linear polymers and generate a phase diagram for interfacial segregation. We quantify the composition of bottlebrush throughout the film by calibration of ion intensity ratios, and self-consistent field theory calculations elucidate the enthalpic and entropic contributions to segregation. We further analyze the three-dimensional morphology of phase-separation in thin film polymer blends using combined ToF-SIMS/AFM. ToF-SIMS/AFM is a powerful technique that enables analysis of unlabeled polymer blends, composites, and self-assembling systems.