IMPROVING ADHESION VIA CONNECTOR POLYMERS TO STABILIZE NONWETTING LIQUID-FILMS

We report dewetting experiments of thin polystyrene films on bi-modal polystyrene brushes. The areal density and the length of the longer br ush molecules (= the connectors) were varied. The dewetting velocity d ecreased with increasing number of connectors and reached zero at a ce rtain value which depended on the length of the connectors. Stabilizat ion of the him was achieved by compensating the capillary driving forc es by the connector pull-out forces. A theoretical explanation of the experimental results is given.