Real-time determination of the slippage length in autophobic polymer dewetting

We investigated the kinetics of autophobic dewetting, caused by differences in entropy, of a polymer melt slipping on a monolayer of end-grafted ident ical molecules (polymer brush). From simultaneous measures of the dewetted distance and the width of the resulting rim, we obtained in real time and q uantitatively the slippage length and the contact angle, a measure of the " incompatibility" between identical molecules. Furthermore, we could directl y relate a decrease in the slippage length in the course of the experiments at elevated temperatures to temporal or permanent attachment of polymers f rom the melt to the brush.