Preparation of large ultra-thin free-standing polymer films
A method of making large ultrathin free-standing polymer films without use of a sacrificial layer includes the steps of providing a substrate, applying a polyelectrolyte material to said substrate, applying a polymer material onto said substrate and onto said polyelectrolyte material, and directly delaminating said polymer material from said substrate and said polyelectrolyte to produce the ultrathin free-standing polymer film.
1. A method of producing an ultrathin free-standing polymer film, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate, applying a polyelectrolyte material to said substrate, applying a polymer material onto said substrate and onto said polyelectrolyte material, and directly delaminating said polymer material from said substrate and said polyelectrolyte to produce the ultrathin free-standing polymer film.
2. The method of producing an ultrathin free-standing polymer film of claim 1 wherein said step of applying a polyelectrolyte material to said substrate comprises applying a polycation to said substrate.
3. The method of producing an ultrathin free-standing polymer film of claim 1 wherein said step of applying a polyelectrolyte material to said substrate comprises applying polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride to said substrate.
4. The method of producing an ultrathin free-standing polymer film of claim 1 wherein said step of providing a substrate comprises providing a silicon substrate.
5. The method of producing an ultrathin free-standing polymer film of claim 1 wherein said step of providing a substrate comprises providing a silicon wafer substrate.
6. The method of producing an ultrathin free-standing polymer film of claim 1 further comprising the step of applying a marker to said polymer material.
7. The method of producing an ultrathin free-standing polymer film of claim 1 wherein said step of directly delaminating said polymer material from said substrate and said polyelectrolyte to produce the ultrathin free-standing polymer film comprises immersing said substrate with said polymer material on said polyelectrolyte material and on said substrate into water and directly delaminating said polymer material to produce the ultrathin free-standing polymer film.
8. The method of producing an ultrathin free-standing polymer film of claim 7 further comprising the step of collecting said ultrathin free-standing polymer film from said water using a holder.