New Clues to the Factors Governing the Perpendicular Alignment of Liquid Crystals on Rubbed Polystyrene Film Surfaces

We have investigated the surfaces of rubbed polystyrene (PS) films in detail using atomic force microscopy and have discovered a previously unknown surface feature:  submicroscale meandering groove-like structures composed of gravel-like grooves in tens of nanometers are present, oriented perpendicular to the rubbing direction. This unusual surface morphology is a significant departure from the surface topographies observed so far for rubbed PS and other polymer films, for which grooves are usually only found parallel to the rubbing direction. We also conclude from retardation analysis and linearly polarized infrared (IR) spectroscopy that the phenyl side groups of the PS chains are reoriented perpendicular to the rubbing direction, with para-directions that are nearly normal to the film plane, whereas the vinyl backbones of the PS chains are reoriented along the rubbing direction. This is the first time IR spectroscopic techniques have been used to determine the three-dimensional reorientation geometry o...