title: Stratification kinetics of polyelectrolyte solutions confined in thin films.
abstract: We have studied free horizontal liquid films made with semidilute polyelectrolyte solutions. A stratification phenomenon is observed during film thinning, with a step size close to the mesh size of the polymer network: dark domains nucleate and expand, the outer polymer layer dewetting a thinner film. The kinetics of dark spot expansion is not simply related to bulk viscosity and becomes faster when the film thickness decreases, suggesting an increase of the chain mobility of the confined polymer chains. These findings are similar to recent ones for other confined liquids and are the first reported so far for freely standing films.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Bâtiment 510, Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France.
authors.forename: César Márquez
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Beltrán
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Langevin
mesh_terms: D004573:Electrolytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D007700:Kinetics; D015233:Models, Statistical; D055585:Physical Phenomena; D010825:Physics; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014783:Viscosity; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes; D011108:Polymers; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014867:Water