Investigation on the wettability properties of thin films of methacrylic polymers with partially fluorinated side chains

Thin films of methacrylic polymers, obtained by copolymerization of perfluorodecyl- and 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, were prepared by spin coating or by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique. The permeability to water of these materials was studied by means of the attenuated total reflection (ATR) technique, revealing the strong dependence of the swelling phenomenon on the films' surface composition and structural order. The presence of polar groups on the film/air interface facilitates the wetting of the thin films.