Effect Of Microgravity On The Formation Of Honeycomb-Patterned Films By Dissipative Processes

Honeycomb-patterned porous polymer films can be prepared by casting a mixed solution of hydrophobic and amphiphilic polymers on a solid substrate utilizing the condensed water droplet arrays as templates. Due to the temperature non-uniformity of the solution surface resulting from the thermal convections, water condenses heterogeneously. The heterogeneous condensation of water droplets induces the formation of irregular-arrangement of domains in the ordered structure of microporous films. In order to evaluate the effect of gravity on the formation of honeycomb-patterned films, we have made microgravity experiments. Even under microgravity, we successfully prepared honeycomb-patterned films. And interestingly, some samples have multi -layered uniform microporous structures, which are formed with vanishing the relative density effect of solvent and water droplets. It is suggested that the microgravity affects the formation of honeycomb patterned films considerably.