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Preparation of Self‐Organized Mesoscale Polymer Patterns on a Solid Substrate: Continuous Pattern Formation from a Receding Meniscus
Author(s) -
Yabu H.,
Shimomura M.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.200400315
Subject(s) - materials science , polymer , meniscus , substrate (aquarium) , casting , composite material , polymer substrate , enhanced data rates for gsm evolution , evaporation , optics , thermodynamics , oceanography , physics , incidence (geometry) , geology , telecommunications , computer science
Regular polymer patterns are formed from casting a dilute polymer solution on a solid substrate. Dissipative structures, e.g., convection patterns, fingering instabilities, and so on, are formed in the evaporation process of casting polymer films. Controlled production and manufacturing of patterned polymer films can be achieved when the evaporating solution edge, especially the meniscus region on the casting substrate, is formed under controlled casting conditions. In this report, we describe a computer‐controlled apparatus which has two precisely manipulated sliding glass plates. A narrow, thin liquid film of polymer solution with a receding meniscus is continuously supplied from a small gap between two glass plates (one sliding and the other stationary), and a patterned polymer film is subsequently formed on the stationary substrate from the evaporating solution edge. Several types of polymer patterns from various polymers are reproducibly prepared by changing preparation conditions such as sliding speed and polymer concentration.