Miscibility, interactions and surface properties of blends involving fluorine-containing polymers, C60-containing polymers or polycarbonates

Abstract

The miscibility, interactions and surface properties of some fluorinated polymer blends were studied by DSC, FTIR, XPS, ToF-SIMS and contact angle measurements. Generally, fluorinated polymers are immiscible with non-fluorinated polymers. However, upon the introduction of suitable functional groups, the fluorinated/non-fluorinated polymer blends change from immiscible to miscible or even to interpolymer complex arising from interpolymer hydrogen-bonding. Since the hydrogen-bonding interaction cannot overcome the surface driving force, and the fluorinated pendant chain has the tendency to reorganize at the air-polymer interface, the air-polymer interfaces of the blends were mainly covered by fluorinated groups to afford miscible blends with low surface energies. The processing parameters also play an important role on the surface properties of the blends. In general, good solvent for fluorinated unit, low solvent evaporation rate and annealing are helpful to get an ideal surface covered by well-organized fluorinated group.