Mesoscopic surface structures in dewetted films of liquid crystalline polymers

Karthaus, O Yabu, H Akagi, K Shimomura, M

O. Karthaus et al., Mesoscopic surface structures in dewetted films of liquid crystalline polymers, MOLEC CRYST, 364, 2001, pp. 395-401

7

INGLESE

Article

Physical Chemistry/Chemical Physics

MOLECULAR CRYSTALS AND LIQUID CRYSTALS → ACNP

364

2001

395 - 401

ISI

Upon casting from dilute solution, liquid crystalline polyacetylenes and po lyesters form mesoscopic dot and line patterns. After annealing in the liqu id crystalline phase, the films dewet from the substrate and form isolated micronsize dots and line structures, which exhibit a peculiar surface struc ture as revelled by polarizing microscopy and atomic force microscopy, The surface structure consists of micron-size shallow dimples that are a few na nometer in depth. The lateral spacing of the dimples, which arrange in a he xagonallattice, is directly proportional to the thickness of the dot, We pr opose that the dimple formation is due to a convective instability.