Cyclic Topology Enhancing Structural Ordering and Stability of Comb-Shaped Polypeptoid Thin Films against Melt-Induced Dewetting

Abstract

We investigated the effect of cyclic chain topology on the molecular ordering and thermal stability of comb-shaped polypeptoid thin films on silicon (Si) substrates. Cyclic and linear poly(N-decylglycine) (PNDG) bearing long n-decyl side chains were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of N-decylglycine-derived N-carboxyanhydrides. When the spin-coated thin films were subjected to thermal annealing at temperatures above the melting temperature (T > Tm), the cyclic PNDG films exhibited significantly enhanced stability against melt-induced dewetting than the linear counterparts (l-PNDG). When recrystallized at temperatures below the crystallization temperature (T