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Updated: Jul 18, 2026
Fabrication of Large-area Free-standing Ultrathin Polymer Films
Published on: June 3, 2015
Dewetting of thin polymer films
1Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie Théorique, UMR CNRS 7083, ESPCI, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75231, Paris Cedex 05, France. thomas.vilmin@gmail.com
Abstract:
We study the dewetting of thin polymer films deposited on slippery substrate. Recent experiments on these systems have revealed many unexpected features. We develop here a model that takes into account the rheological properties of polymer melts, focussing on two dewetting geometries (the receding of a straight edge, and the opening of a hole). We show that the friction law associated with the slippage between the film and the substrate has a direct influence on the dewetting dynamic. In addition, we demonstrate that residual stresses, which can be stored in the films due to their viscoelasticity, are a source of destabilization for polymer films, and accelerate the dewetting process.
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