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Diffusiophoresis-Driven Stratification of Polymers in Colloidal Films
Malin Schulz1, Richard W Smith2, Richard P Sear1
1Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, United Kingdom.
ACS Macro Letters
|May 31, 2022
Summary
Controlling polymer blend surface composition is crucial for material properties. Varying evaporation rate during film deposition allows tuning surface hydrophilicity and molecular makeup, offering new control over material performance.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- Polymer blend surface composition impacts critical properties like adhesion and biocompatibility.
- Surface properties often diverge from bulk composition due to thermodynamic factors.
- Controlling nonequilibrium surface composition in colloid-polymer mixtures for film deposition remains a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate a simple method for controlling the surface composition and hydrophilicity of films deposited from colloid-polymer mixtures.
- To investigate the role of evaporation rate in achieving tunable surface properties.
Main Methods:
- Deposition of films from bimodal mixtures of linear polymers and colloids in water.
- Systematic variation of the solvent evaporation rate during film formation.
- Ion beam analysis to quantify the stratification of linear polymers at the film surface.
Main Results:
- Adjusting the evaporation rate directly controls the surface composition and hydrophilicity of the deposited films.
- Ion beam analysis confirmed polymer stratification, aligning with diffusiophoretic models.
- The stratification mechanism relies on diffusiophoresis, independent of specific components.
Conclusions:
- Evaporation rate is a powerful and simple tool to engineer the surface properties of films made from colloid-polymer blends.
- The diffusiophoresis-driven stratification offers a widely applicable strategy for tailoring surface characteristics in various solution-processed materials.
- This approach enables precise control over surface-dependent functionalities in coatings, inks, and adhesives.
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