CHARACTERIZING POLYMER SURFACES - NANOINDENTATION, SURFACE FORCE DATA, CALORIMETRIC MICROSCOPY

Techniques now exist that allow near-surface mechanical and thermal pr operties of polymers to be measured at very high depth resolution. We review the use of: nanoindentation (hardness, modulus, flow properties , profilometry); force spectroscopy (adhesion, attractive forces and t heir variation with separation); and scanning calorimetric microscopy (image contrast determined by spatial variation of thermal conductivit y, heat capacity, or reversing/non-reversing behaviour, as a function of temperature).