TY - JOUR
T1 - Influence of structural disorder on the elastic, frictional, and electrical properties in functionalized polyaniline thin films at the nanoscale investigated by atomic force microscopy
AU - Chu, En De
AU - Chiang, Hsi Hsien
AU - Huang, Shuei De
AU - Chen, Po Yen
AU - Liao, Yu Tso
AU - Nathaniel, Philip
AU - Han, Chein Chun
AU - Lo, Fang Yuh
AU - Chiu, Hsiang Chih
N1 - Funding Information:
All authors acknowledged the financial support from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Taiwan, under contract numbers MOST 105-2112-M-003-001-MY3, MOST 108-2112-M-003-007, MOST 109-2112-M-003-015, and MOST 110-2112-M-003-013.
Funding Information:
This work was funded by National Science and Technology Council. All authors acknowledged the financial support from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Taiwan, under contract numbers MOST 105-2112-M-003-001-MY3, MOST 108-2112-M-003-007, MOST 109-2112-M-003-015, and MOST 110-2112-M-003-013.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - We investigated the influence of structural order on the elastic, frictional, and electrical properties of butylthio-functionalized PANI (PANI-SBu) films by atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based techniques, including PeakForce quantitative nanomechanical mapping, friction force microscopy, and conductive AFM. The PANI-SBu films were prepared by the drop-cast method from the solution of PANI-SBu in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone that was continuously stirred. The PANI-SBu films were fabricated after different solution stirring times. The shear force during the mechanical stir will disentangle the highly-coiled PANI-SBu polymer chains in the solution. Therefore, the polymer chains in solution cast on the substrates will progressively self-assemble into a more organized structure when solvents evaporate, leading to PANI-SBu films with improved structural order. Our AFM studies discovered that more structurally-ordered PANI-SBu films have substantially larger out-of-plane elastic moduli and charge mobility but smaller kinetic friction coefficients. The denser packing of polymer molecules increases film elasticities and promotes chain-to-chain charge transport. In addition, stiffer PANI-SBu film surfaces are more difficult to deform when sheared by the sliding AFM probe, resulting in less energy dissipation during AFM friction measurements. Thus, smaller kinetic friction coefficients were found. Conversely, more structurally-disordered PANI-SBu films have smaller elasticity and charge mobility but larger kinetic friction coefficients. Our results demonstrate that it is possible to manipulate the elastic, frictional, and electrical properties of PANI-SBu films by controlling their structural order, which can be essential for developing polymer-based composite materials and flexible electronic devices.
AB - We investigated the influence of structural order on the elastic, frictional, and electrical properties of butylthio-functionalized PANI (PANI-SBu) films by atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based techniques, including PeakForce quantitative nanomechanical mapping, friction force microscopy, and conductive AFM. The PANI-SBu films were prepared by the drop-cast method from the solution of PANI-SBu in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone that was continuously stirred. The PANI-SBu films were fabricated after different solution stirring times. The shear force during the mechanical stir will disentangle the highly-coiled PANI-SBu polymer chains in the solution. Therefore, the polymer chains in solution cast on the substrates will progressively self-assemble into a more organized structure when solvents evaporate, leading to PANI-SBu films with improved structural order. Our AFM studies discovered that more structurally-ordered PANI-SBu films have substantially larger out-of-plane elastic moduli and charge mobility but smaller kinetic friction coefficients. The denser packing of polymer molecules increases film elasticities and promotes chain-to-chain charge transport. In addition, stiffer PANI-SBu film surfaces are more difficult to deform when sheared by the sliding AFM probe, resulting in less energy dissipation during AFM friction measurements. Thus, smaller kinetic friction coefficients were found. Conversely, more structurally-disordered PANI-SBu films have smaller elasticity and charge mobility but larger kinetic friction coefficients. Our results demonstrate that it is possible to manipulate the elastic, frictional, and electrical properties of PANI-SBu films by controlling their structural order, which can be essential for developing polymer-based composite materials and flexible electronic devices.
KW - Polyaniline
KW - atomic force microscopy
KW - flexible electronics
KW - nanomechanics
KW - nanotribology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85168156458&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85168156458&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/1023666X.2023.2242638
DO - 10.1080/1023666X.2023.2242638
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85168156458
SN - 1023-666X
VL - 28
SP - 448
EP - 458
JO - International Journal of Polymer Analysis and Characterization
JF - International Journal of Polymer Analysis and Characterization
IS - 5
ER -