Blend films of poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(phenylenegermane) : Topography and properties of surface

The wettability and surface topography of films prepared from mechanical blends of PMMA and the dendritic hyperbranched perfluorinated poly(phenylene germane), as well as of the product of methyl methacrylate polymerization carried out in the presence of the latter polymer, were studied. Even at a small amount of the hydrophobic perfluorinated poly(phenylene germane), films prepared from solutions of mechanical blends in THF were not wet by water (theta = 120 degrees), while films prepared from chloroform solutions were wet by water at a greater amount of this polymer (theta < 90 degrees). The former effect is due to the surface segregation, while the latter effect is related to the formation of disklike leaf-shaped PMMA particles. Methylene iodide wet the films of mechanical blends and of the product of MMA polymerization obtained in the presence of poly(phenylenegermane). The latter films were also wet by water. The surface topography of films prepared from the polymerization product was significantly affected by the nature of the solvent.