End-Tethered Chains Increase the Local Glass Transition Temperature of Matrix Chains by 45 K Next to Solid Substrates Independent of Chain Length.

The local glass transition temperature of pyrene-labeled polystyrene (PS) chains intermixed with end-tethered PS chains grafted to a neutral silica substrate was measured by fluorescence spectroscopy. To isolate the impact of the grafted chains, the films were capped with bulk neat PS layers eliminating competing effects of the free surface. Results demonstrate that end-grafted chains strongly increase the local of matrix chains by ≈45 K relative to bulk , independent of grafted chain molecular weight from = 8.6 to 212 kg/mol and chemical end-group, over a wide range of grafting densities σ = 0.003 to 0.33 chains/nm spanning the mushroom-to-brush transition regime. The tens-of-degree increase in local resulting from immobilization of the chain ends by covalent bonding in this athermal system suggests a mechanism that substantially increases the local activation energy required for cooperative rearrangements.