Structural evolution of octyltriethoxysilane films on glass surfaces during annealing at elevated temperature

Glass samples treated by octyltriethoxysilane were annealed for times ranging from 0 to 16 h, and their topography, adhesion, and stiffness properties were examined using pulsed-force mode (PFM) atomic force microscopy. While the surfaces of samples dried at room temperature were structurally featureless, those annealed at 145 degrees C showed formation of islands, increasing in size and number with heating time. PFM adhesion and stiffness maps suggested that the glass substrate remained at least partially covered by silanes even after island formation.