Nanoscale friction force on thin films of polymer blends and silane layers matrix

In this paper, nanoscale friction measurements are obtained from the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) cantilever tip interaction with the layer of polymer blends of Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA)/ Polystyrene (PS) (2:1 and 1:2 ratios), and silane (C8, C12 and C18) layers at different proportion. The contrast of these polymer blends is investigated from the simultaneous recording of the topographic and lateral forces imaging. The resonance frequency excitation method and the wedge calibrations are used to quantify the normal and the lateral force constant respectively. Then, the quantitative frictional forces are calculated from the obtained normal and lateral force constants. The nanonewton (nN) frictions are found to be dependent on the nano-dynamic properties of the tip-sample interaction, the proportion of the polymer matrix and silane layers, and the scan speed.