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Authors
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Braun, H.-G. ; Meyer, E.
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Title
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Pattern formation in ultrathin polymer films prepared on microstructured surfaces
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Date
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07.10.2008
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Number
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15861
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Abstract
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Film formation of ultrathin polymers on microheterogeneous surfaces is strongly influenced by molecular surface patterns which cause local wettability differences for liquid phases in contact with the surface. Surface coverage with polymers transferred by dip-coating from polymer solutions is controlled by surface heterogeneities prepared by softlithography or by electron beam lithography of self-assembled monolayers. Using crystallisable polymers for ultrathin film formation (polyethyleneoxide (PEO) we could carefully investigate the competition in pattern formation resulting from the dewetting process and patterns which result from lamella crystallization of PEO in ultrathin films. For the first time we could observe that ultrathin polymer films of crystallisable polymers which are prepared in absence of any substrate surface defects form a metastable state in which they can exist over days and weeks without crystallization. Heterogenous nucleation in these metastable films can be done by external stresses such as contact with an AFM tip. The nucleation on demand allowed us to study the diffusion controlled pattern formation that is observed during lamella crystallization and the growth process resulting in different morphological features could be studied at elevated temperatures and in lateral confined areas which were realized by the film preparation on the microheterogenized surfaces.
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Publisher
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Journal of Physics: Conference Series
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Wikidata
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Citation
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Journal of Physics: Conference Series 126 (2008) 012027, 1-4
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DOI
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https://doi.org/1/012027
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Tags
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