Solvent-Vapor-Induced Rapid Assembly of Block-Copolymer Film via Prevacuumizing

• Published in: Macromolecular chemistry and physics Vol. 215; no. 11; pp. 1092 - 1097
• Main Authors: Gong, Yumei, Li, Yuhu, He, Yingxin, Wang, Lulu, Huang, Haiying, He, Tianbai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.06.2014; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Assembly; block copolymers; Blocking; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Lithography; Microscopy; Morphology; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; prevacuumizing; Properties and characterization; Self assembly; solvent vapor annealing; Strategy; Structure, morphology and analysis; Thin films; block copolymers; Annealing; prevacuumizing; Volatile organic compound; Order disorder transformation; solvent vapor annealing; Experimental study; Methyl methacrylate copolymer; Property processing relationship; Vacuum treatment; Thin film; thin films; self-assembly; Domain structure; Diblock copolymer; Kinetics; Pretreatment; Styrene copolymer
• ISSN: 1022-1352; 1521-3935
• DOI: 10.1002/macp.201300786

The undesired long time for the self‐assembly of block‐copolymer (BCP) thin films restricts their application as a template in lithography and other technologies. To shorten the assembly time, a facile but versatile strategy of solvent‐vapor‐induced rapid assembly into a uniform ordered morphology of polystyrene‐block‐poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS‐b‐PMMA) thin film via prevacuumizing is reported. Factors such as the prevacuum pressure and the temperature during the solvent‐vapor‐annealing process are investigated for their effects on the assembly time. The morphologies are observed by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) and the results indicate that the time for the assembly of PS‐b‐PMMA with a PS‐cylinder‐forming composition into a morphology of hexagonally arranged PS spheres in the film, induced by the solvent vapor at a prevacuum pressure 0.02 atm, is only 4 min at 20 °C and shortens more to 1 min at 60 °C. The time frame for block‐copolymer self‐assembly is becoming one of the most urgent items in exploring it as a template. Solvent‐vapor‐induced rapid assembly of polystyrene‐block‐poly(methyl methacrylate) thin film into an ordered morphology via prevacuumizing is reported. One minute is enough to obtain a uniform ordered morphology when annealing at a prevacuum pressure 0.02 atm and 60 °C.