Effects of the embedding kinetics on the surface nano-morphology of nano-grained Au and Ag films on PS and PMMA layers annealed above the glass transition temperature

The morphology evolution of nano-grained Ag and Au films deposited on polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymeric layers were studied, using the atomic force microscopy technique, when annealed above the polymers glass transition temperature. The main effects on the morphology changes were identified with those concerning the embedding kinetics of the Ag and Au nanoparticles in the PS or PMMA layers. The embedding process of the nanoparticles follows as a consequence of the long-range mobility of the polymeric chains above the glass transition temperature. In particular, the dependence of the nanoparticles mean height and surface density on the annealing time at various temperatures was quantified. The analyses of these behaviors allowed us: (1) to distinguish the overall embedding process in a first stage in which a thin wetting layer of the polymer coats the nanoparticles followed by a true embedding process of the nanoparticles into the polymer layer; (2) to evaluate the characteristic coating time for the Ag and Au nanoparticles in the PS and PMMA in the first stage; (3) to evaluate the characteristic embedding velocity for the Ag and Au nanoparticles in the PS and PMMA in the second stage; (4) to derive the activation energies for the embedding process of the Ag and Au nanoparticles in PS and PMMA; (5) to identify the embedding statistics of the Ag and Au nanoparticles in PS and PMMA with a “failure” Weibull statistics.