The evaporation of water droplets on polymer surfaces was investigated by using a digital image analysis technique. There were three distinct stages in the water evaporation process: a constant contact area mode, a constant contact angle mode, and a mixed mode that is independent of both the initial quantity of water droplets and the hydrophobic properties of the polymer surfaces. The physical factors influencing the first and second transitions in the evaporation process were found to be the attainment of the receding angle on the polymer surfaces and the Marangoni instability in the evaporating water droplets, which result from the concentration gradient of contaminants. This study also provides qualitative information about the microfluid flows inside the evaporating water droplets and the morphology of drying stains on polymer surfaces. The contaminants were found to be concentrated at the perimeter of the stains, in agreement with the observed outward microfluid flow in the mixed mode of the evaporation process.
Ionogels are good candidates for flexible electronics owing to their excellent mechanical and electrical properties, including stretchability, high conductivity, and stability. In this study, conducting ionogels comprising a double network (DN) of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide‐co‐N,N′‐diethylacrylamide)/chitosan which are further reinforced by the ionic and covalent crosslinking of the chitosan network by tripolyphosphate and glutaraldehyde, respectively, are prepared. Based on their excellent mechanical properties and high conductivity, the developed DN ionogels are envisioned as stretchable ionic conductors for extremely stretchable alternating‐current electroluminescent (ACEL) devices. The ACEL device fabricated with the developed ionogel exhibits stable working operation under an ultrahigh elongation of over 1200% as well as severe mechanical deformations such as bending, rolling, and twisting. Furthermore, the developed ACEL devices also display stable luminescence over 1000 stretch/release cycles or at temperatures as harsh as 200 °C.
We demonstrate selectively enhanced emission by controlling the intrachain and interchain excitons of a conjugated polymer through adjusting surface plasmons. Enhanced light emission from the intrachain excitons was observed by coupling the localized surface plasmon resonance with the intrachain band of the conjugated polymer using Ag nanoparticles. Light emission from the interchain excitons was enhanced by exploiting both the increased strength of the interchain dipole due to the image dipole and the coupling between excitons and surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). As the Ag nanostructures become complete films, light emission from the interchain excitons increased.
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