Polymer Ultra-thin Films
Polymer Ultra-thin Films - Related Videos
10:08
Fabrication of Large-area Free-standing Ultrathin Polymer Films
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Cited by 10 •
2015
We describe a method for the fabrication of large-area (up to 13 cm diameter) and ultrathin (as thin as 8 nm) polymer films. Instead of using a sacrificial interlayer to delaminate the film from its substrate, we use a self-limiting surface treatment suitable for arbitrarily large areas.
10:58
Combinatorial Synthesis of and High-throughput Protein Release from Polymer Film and Nanoparticle Libraries
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Cited by 7 •
2012
This method describes the combinatorial synthesis of biodegradable polyanhydride film and nanoparticle libraries and the high-throughput detection of protein release from these libraries.
07:32
Reactive Vapor Deposition of Conjugated Polymer Films on Arbitrary Substrates
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Cited by 4 •
2018
This paper presents a protocol for reactive vapor deposition of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene), and poly(thieno[3,2-b]thiophene) films on glass slides and rough substrates, such as textiles and paper.
05:02
Procedure for the Transfer of Polymer Films Onto Porous Substrates with Minimized Defects
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Cited by 4 •
2019
We present a procedure for highly controlled and wrinkle-free transfer of block copolymer thin films onto porous support substrates using a 3D-printed drain chamber. The drain chamber design is of general relevance to all procedures involving transfer of macromolecular films onto porous substrates, which is normally done by hand in an irreproducible fashion.
02:34
Polymers
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2020
The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
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During film formation, solvent evaporation changes the environment surrounding polymer chains and helps determine how much material remains at the surface. The evaporation process therefore influences final thickness, morphology, and molecular organization rather than simply removing liquid. Controlling this stage is important when chemists need reproducible films with targeted optical, mechanical, electrical, or barrier behavior.
When polymer chains occupy a layer only a few to hundreds of nanometers thick, confinement can alter their behavior relative to bulk material. Interfaces and surfaces become a larger part of the film environment, so chain organization and resulting properties may differ from those of a thicker sample. This distinction makes ultra-thin films useful for studying interfacial polymer chemistry.
Interactions between the polymer and its substrate can affect how chains arrange themselves and how the film develops at the interface. Because surface and interface effects are especially influential at nanoscale thicknesses, the substrate can contribute to changes in morphology, molecular organization, and measured properties. Chemists consider these interactions when designing coatings, membranes, and device layers.
These methods create polymer films through different formation routes. Spin coating, layer-by-layer assembly, and vapor deposition each provide a way to build a nanoscale layer, but the resulting thickness, morphology, and molecular organization depend on the process and its interaction with the polymer and substrate. Comparing methods helps chemists select an approach suited to the desired film properties.
Preparation requires attention to the selected formation method, the polymer, the substrate, and the conditions that govern film development. For approaches involving a solvent, evaporation is particularly important; across all approaches, chain confinement and substrate interactions affect the result. These variables should be considered together because they influence thickness, morphology, and molecular organization.
Their tunable optical, mechanical, electrical, and barrier properties support work on flexible electronics, membranes, sensors, coatings, and biomedical devices. The appropriate application depends on which film response is most important and how the nanoscale layer is organized. These systems also provide a practical platform for examining how polymer behavior changes near surfaces and interfaces.
These films allow chemists to examine polymer behavior under strong surface and interface influence, rather than relying only on bulk measurements. Changes in chain confinement, substrate interactions, morphology, and molecular organization can be related to observed film properties. Such comparisons help connect nanoscale structure with performance in devices, membranes, coatings, sensors, and other material systems.