The fabrication and investigation of novel composite polymer materials is proposed. The particular class of structures are polymer thin films via surfactant templates which have been recently developed in the PI's laboratory. This project will ascertain the scope and uniqueness of the films, and will further emphasize the characterization of films formed by this new method. Generality of the thin film process will be explored for various hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrate, polymers of different type and molecular structure, and various types of surfactant. Characterization will include molecular weight determination by gel permeation chromatography, test of film uniformity and reproducibility by several physical methods, and examination of the films structures on the substrate by various microscopic techniques. The synthesis of an unusual type of new surfactant, namely hydrocarbon/fluorocarbon hybrid surfactant, is also proposed. The hybrid surfactant will be used with the thin film techniques in order to form patterned polymeric films.
