Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2013, 14(2), 3254-3264; doi:10.3390/ijms14023254
Article

Structure Formation of Ultrathin PEO Films at Solid Interfaces—Complex Pattern Formation by Dewetting and Crystallization

Hans-Georg Braun* email and Evelyn Meyer
Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Hohe Strasse 6, D-01069 Dresden, Germany
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 4 January 2013; in revised form: 25 January 2013 / Accepted: 28 January 2013 / Published: 5 February 2013
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Assembled Soft Matter Nanostructures at Interfaces)
PDF Full-text Download PDF Full-Text [1210 KB, uploaded 5 February 2013 13:55 CET]
Abstract: The direct contact of ultrathin polymer films with a solid substrate may result in thin film rupture caused by dewetting. With crystallisable polymers such as polyethyleneoxide (PEO), molecular self-assembly into partial ordered lamella structures is studied as an additional source of pattern formation. Morphological features in ultrathin PEO films (thickness < 10 nm) result from an interplay between dewetting patterns and diffusion limited growth pattern of ordered lamella growing within the dewetting areas. Besides structure formation of hydrophilic PEO molecules, n-alkylterminated (hydrophobic) PEO oligomers are investigated with respect to self-organization in ultrathin films. Morphological features characteristic for pure PEO are not changed by the presence of the n-alkylgroups.
Keywords: dewetting; DLA; PEO; PEG; thin film; crystallization

Article Statistics

Click here to load and display the download statistics.

Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Braun, H.-G.; Meyer, E. Structure Formation of Ultrathin PEO Films at Solid Interfaces—Complex Pattern Formation by Dewetting and Crystallization. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2013, 14, 3254-3264.

AMA Style

Braun H-G, Meyer E. Structure Formation of Ultrathin PEO Films at Solid Interfaces—Complex Pattern Formation by Dewetting and Crystallization. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2013; 14(2):3254-3264.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Braun, Hans-Georg; Meyer, Evelyn. 2013. "Structure Formation of Ultrathin PEO Films at Solid Interfaces—Complex Pattern Formation by Dewetting and Crystallization." Int. J. Mol. Sci. 14, no. 2: 3254-3264.

Int. J. Mol. Sci. EISSN 1422-0067 Published by MDPI AG, Basel, Switzerland RSS E-Mail Table of Contents Alert