Morphologies in Solvent-Annealed Clotrimazole Thin Films Explained by Hansen-Solubility Parameters

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Crystallography
• Thin Film Deposition

Background:

• Controlling crystal morphology is vital for material properties and performance.
• Thin films offer unique characteristics for various technological applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the preparation of diverse crystal morphologies in clotrimazole thin films.
• To investigate the relationship between solvent properties and resulting crystal structures.
• To understand the mechanisms governing morphology formation during vapor annealing.

Main Methods:

• Vapor annealing of amorphous clotrimazole thin films on glass substrates.
• Solvent exchange to induce crystallization.
• X-ray diffraction (XRD) for structural and textural analysis.
• Analysis using Hansen-solubility parameters and vapor pressures.

Main Results:

• Successfully produced various clotrimazole crystal morphologies, including monodisperse/multidisperse crystallites, spherulites, and dendritic structures.
• XRD confirmed the presence of the same polymorph across all samples, with variations in texture.
• Morphology and orientation were correlated with solvent properties and solvent-solid interactions.

Conclusions:

• Solvent selection during vapor annealing is a key factor in controlling crystal morphology and texture in clotrimazole thin films.
• Hansen-solubility parameters and vapor pressures provide a framework for understanding and predicting morphology formation.
• The findings offer a pathway to tailor thin film structures for specific applications.