Improving adhesion via connector polymers to stabilize non-wetting liquid films

G. Reiter; J. Schultz; P. Auroy; L. Auvray

doi:doi:10.1209/epl/i1996-00299-3

Improving adhesion via connector polymers to stabilize non-wetting liquid films DOI: 10.1209/epl/i1996-00299-3

Europhys. Lett, 33 (1), pp. 29-34 (1996)

Improving adhesion via connector polymers to stabilize non-wetting liquid films

G. Reiter , J. Schultz , P. Auroy and L. Auvray

Institut de Chimie des Surfaces et Interfaces, CNRS
15, rue Jean Starcky, 68057 Mulhouse, France
Institut Curie, Section de Physique et Chimie, URA 448 du CNRS
11, rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75231 Paris, Cedex 05, France
Laboratoire Léon Brillouin, CEN Saclay - 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France

(received 10 October 1995; accepted in final form 16 November 1995)

PACS. 68.15+e - Liquid thin films.
PACS. 68.10Cr - Surface energy (surface tension, interface tension, angle of contact, etc.).
PACS. 61.25Hq - Macromolecular and polymer solutions; polymer melts.

Abstract:

We report dewetting experiments of thin polystyrene films on bi-modal polystyrene brushes. The areal density and the length of the longer brush molecules (= the connectors) were varied. The dewetting velocity decreased with increasing number of connectors and reached zero at a certain value which depended on the length of the connectors. Stabilization of the film was achieved by compensating the capillary driving forces by the connector pull-out forces. A theoretical explanation of the experimental results is given.