We present a new wrinkling-based measurement technique for quantifying the viscoelastic properties of confined polymer thin films. This approach utilizes real-time laser-light scattering to observe the kinetics of thermally-induced surface wrinkling, which evolves isothermally as a function of annealing time. Specifically, wrinkling is induced by applying a thermal stress to a polystyrene film that is sandwiched between a silicon substrate and an aluminium thin film superstrate. By following the time evolution of the wrinkle wavelength and amplitude, we can infer the rubbery modulus and shear viscosity of the polystyrene film with the aid of a theoretical model.

E.P. Chan, K.A. Page, S.H. Im, D.L. Patton, R. Huang, C.M. Stafford, Viscoelastic properties of confined polymer films measured via thermal wrinkling. Soft Matter, 2009. DOI: 10.1039/B916207K.

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