The interfacial interaction strength and transition properties in a reverse selective thin fil
m nanoco
mposite syste
m,silica-poly[(tri
methylsilyl)propyne] (SiO
x-PTMSP), are investigated locally by heated tip ato
mic force
microscopy.SiO
x-PTMSP has recently been introduced as a new class of reverse selective
me
mbrane
materials with extraordinarilyhigh per
meability and selectivity (reverse selectivity). Here, we exa
mine the ther
mal transition properties of thepoly
mer
matrix and the debonding strength between PTMSP and silica. Transitions at 330
mages/entities/deg.gif">C were identified asdegradation processes. Criteria for debonding were found to include poly
mer viscoelastic responses, particle size,e
mbedding depth, scan speed, and frequency of i
mpact. Probe-particle i
mpact forces revealed a debonding energyof 2.6 J/
m2 and an i
mpact force transition that occurs 30
mages/entities/deg.gif">C below the degradation te
mperature in the neat poly
mer,confir
ming the presence of enhanced poly
mer
mobility at the SiO
x-PTMSP interface.