(Taylor & Francis Inc, 2003) N/A; Department of Chemistry; Department of Chemistry; Ok, Salim; Demirel, Adem Levent; Undergraduate Student; Faculty Member; Department of Chemistry; College of Sciences; College of Sciences; N/A; 6568
Crystallization of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in thin films was studied using hot-stage polarized optical microscopy. Isothermal linear crystal growth rates were measured for various film thicknesses at various degrees of undercooling. At a given crystallization temperature, the linear crystal growth rate decreased exponentially with decreasing film thickness below a film thickness of 80 nm. Films showed similar spherulitic morphology down to a film thickness of 30 nm. Control experiments on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces showed that surface chemistry affects stability of the polymer films and causes a competition between crystallization and dewetting.
