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Updated: May 7, 2026

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
Breakup of a transient wetting layer in polymer blend thin films: unification with 1D phase equilibria
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Hicks Building, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
We show that lateral phase separation in polymer blend thin films can proceed via the formation of a transient wetting layer which breaks up to give a laterally segregated film. We show that the growth of lateral inhomogeneities at the walls in turn causes the distortion of the interface in the transient wetting layer. By addressing the 1D phase equilibria of a polymer blend thin film confined between selectively attracting walls, we show that the breakup of a transient wetting layer is due to wall-blend interactions; there are multiple values of the volume fraction at the walls which solve equilibrium boundary conditions. This mechanism of lateral phase separation should be general.
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