Spreading characteristics of thin liquid films of perfluoropolyalkylethers on solid surfaces. Effects of chain-end functionality and humidity

Spreading characteristics of thin liquid films of perfluoropolyalkyl ethers (PFPE) on silica surfaces and thermally bonded PFPE surfaces have been measured by scanning microellipsometer as function of molecular weight, chain-end functionality, and humidity. The effects of molecular weight are much smaller than those of chain-end functionality. Changes in spreading profiles with time show that interactions of chain-end groups with solid surfaces have dramatic effects on the structure and mobility of thin polymer films on solid surfaces. Wetting autophobicity is clearly manifested by PFPEs with functional chain-end groups on silica surfaces. © 1995 J.C. Baltzer AG, Science Publishers.