TY - JOUR A1 - Griepentrog, Michael A1 - Krämer, Günther A1 - Cappella, Brunero T1 - Comparison of nanoindentation and AFM methods for the determination of mechanical properties of polymers N2 - Force-deformation curves have been acquired using nanoindentation and atomic force microscopy on two amorphous polymer samples. The shape and size of the indenter tip was characterized using a white light interferometer and AFM. The measured nanoindentation curves were fitted with the Hertz equation to calculate the Young's modulus of the polymers. Once the Young's moduli of the polymers were known, AFM was used to acquire force-distance-curves on the same samples. We also used the Hertz theory for the analysis in this case. As a result, the tip radius of the AFM cantilever tip could be measured. This procedure is proposed as a method to determine the shape and size of AFM tips for the quantitative characterization of surface forces through force-distance curves. KW - Mechanical properties KW - Polymers KW - AFM KW - Nanoindenter PY - 2013 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymertesting.2013.01.011 SN - 0142-9418 VL - 32 IS - 3 SP - 455 EP - 460 PB - Elsevier Science CY - Amsterdam [u.a.] AN - OPUS4-32073 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Krämer, Günther A1 - Griepentrog, Michael A1 - Bonaccurso, E. A1 - Cappella, Brunero T1 - Study of morphology and mechanical properties of polystyrene-polybutadiene blends with nanometre resolution using AFM and force-distance curves N2 - Thin polybutadiene/polystyrene blend films were deposited on glass substrates by spin-coating. The two polymers were chosen, as they are immiscible and differ strongly in their mechanical properties. The blend was characterized with Tapping Mode and force–distance curves. Several advantages of force–distance curves measurements compared to Tapping Mode are shown, most of all the capability of yielding quantitative information about several properties, such as Young's modulus and adhesion. Also the aging behaviour of the blend exposed to air could be observed, in particular the increase of the Young's modulus due to cross-linking and dewetting processes. Additionally, the sample was used to improve the resolution of force–distance curves up to 6 nm, which is to date the best resolution achieved with force–distance curves. Such an improvement resolves the major disadvantage of force–distance curves, compared to other scanning mode, i.e. its inferior resolution. KW - Polymer blends KW - Mechanical properties KW - Atomic force microscopy KW - Force-distance curves KW - High-resolution force-volume PY - 2014 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2014.03.026 SN - 0014-3057 SN - 1873-1945 VL - 55 SP - 123 EP - 134 PB - Elsevier CY - Oxford AN - OPUS4-30625 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -