AFM investigations of the initial stages of prepolymer film growth on aluminium

A cyanurate prepolymer was applied to aluminium-coated silicon wafers by adsorption out of solution. Film growth from the initial stages to closed films was studied by Atomic Force Microscopy. Sample preparation in the presence of external forces (spin coating) leads to film morphologies very different from adsorption near equilibrium (dip coating). The edge of the non-closed films can be characterized by means of a borderline angle. The influence of specific prepolymer-substrate interactions, external forces and substrate topography is discussed.