Improving adhesion via connector polymers to stabilize non-wetting liquid films

Abstract

We report dewetting experiments of thin polystyrene films on bi-modal polystyrene brushes. The areal density and the length of the longer brush molecules (= the connectors) were varied. The dewetting velocity decreased with increasing number of connectors and reached zero at a certain value which depended on the length of the connectors. Stabilization of the film was achieved by compensating the capillary driving forces by the connector pull-out forces. A theoretical explanation of the experimental results is given.