title: Formation of nanowire striations driven by Marangoni instability in spin-cast polymer thin films.
abstract: Parallel striations made of silver nanowires were formed through the Marangoni instability induced during spin casting of poly(2-vinyl pyridine)/silver nanowire/chloroform solutions. The striation patterns of the silver nanowires resembled those obtained from spin casting of the corresponding neat polymer solutions, indicating essentially the same driving mechanism (i.e., the Marangoni instability). The silver nanowires were found to concentrate in the valleys of the striation pattern to balance the nonuniform surface tension distribution in the polymer thin film. The resulting nanowire striation patterns were found to depend on polymer concentration, rotational speed, and nanowire loading. Interestingly, this nanowire striation phenomenon was found to be independent of the substrate characteristics, hydrophobic or hydrophilic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing-Hua University, Hsin-Chu 30043, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shih-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Hsin-Lung
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kuen-Hua
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yen-Yi
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Chen