Annealing improves tribological property of poly(octadecene-alt-maleic anhydride) self-assembled film

A poly(octadecene-alt-maleic anhydride) (POMA) film was covalently immobilized on N-[3-(trimethoxylsilyl)propyl]ethylenediamine self-assembled monolayer modified silicon surface. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectra were used to confirm the chemical bonding. Water contact angles and ellipsometric thicknesses were measured before and after annealing treatment. Atomic force microscopy was applied for top morphology, surface adhesion force and friction force. Anti-wear properties of the films were also evaluated on a ball-on-plate tribometer. It was found that annealing treatment which would evoke a conformation transform thermodynamically, was a critical step in the preparation of anti-wear films, especially for polymer ones. The correlation between structure and tribological property was revealed, which has profound meaning in designing excellent anti-wear nano-coatings used in microelectronic mechanical systems (MEMS).

► A structurally special poly(octadecene-alt-maleic anhydride) (POMA) is chosen to be covalently grafted to silicon surface by stepwise method. ► The effect of annealing treatment on tribology was found. ► Multiple surface analysis techniques were applied to detect the structural details. ► A relationship between structure and tribological property of the film was revealed.