OBSERVATION OF MODIFICATION AND RECOVERY OF LOCAL PROPERTIES OF POLYETHYLENE OXIDE

By applying large forces to the surface during an atomic force microsc opy scanning, crystallized polyethylene oxide (PEO) films were modifie d and showed a new structure in which there are the formation of a nan ometer-scale bundle structure and an increase of elastic stiffness. Th e modified part was removed by dropping benzene onto a rotating surfac e through a peeling process for the case of thin modified layers, whil e for thick layers, the local properties were recovered by absorbing b enzene into the modified parts. In the course of these measurements, t he thickness of the modified layers was estimated. (C) 1997 American V acuum Society.