A special instrument for exact control of self-organized structures preparation in polymer layers

Special micro-condensation drying system (MCDS) was constructed for precise preparation of self-organized polymeric layers by casting from solutions and dispersions at highly non-equilibrium conditions. There were respected the needs for exact regulation of temperature, temperature gradient and rate of solvent evaporation, vibration damping, dust-free design and wide variability in process parameters settings as well. MCDS allows to study a broad spectrum of effects determining creation of self-organized structures during the evaporation of solvent from the polymer solution (e.g. Rayleigh–Bénard or Bénard–Marangoni cells). As a model system for MCDS functionality testing aqueous solution of hydroxyethyl-cellulose was chosen, with respect to its excellent film-forming properties and the self-organization ability. All of this is observable in high number of cell patterns, originating according to the process parameters, in the given polymer-solution system.