Electrospray aerosol deposition of water soluble polymer thin films

We report the fabrication and characterization of thin films from the water soluble polymer sodium poly[2-(3-thieny1)-ethyloxy-4-butylsulfonate] (PTEBS) by electrospray deposition (ESD). Contiguous thin films were created by adjusting the parameters of the electrospray apparatus and solution properties to maintain a steady Taylor cone for uniform nanoparticle aerosolization and controlling the particle water content to enable coalescence with previously deposited particles. The majority of deposited particles had diameters less than 52 nm. A thin film of 64.7 nm with a root mean square surface roughness of 20.2 nm was achieved after 40 min of ESD. Published by Elsevier B.V.