Polymerization of Langmuir-Blodgett materials

The principal advantage of LB polymers is their stability. Normal monomeric LB materials are relatively fragile systems that are 

There are many different types of polymer (e.g. linear, branched and network) and polymerization modes (e.g. thermal, photochemical, electron beam and X-ray). In the case of LB films it is most convenient to divide the polymers into three categories, depending on whether the polymerization is carried out before, during or after multilayer deposition. 

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At the bulk level, molecular and polymeric materials also offer flexibility of fabrication in various forms such as crystals, films, fibers, as well as monolayer and multilayer Langmuir-Blodgett films. In addition, one can make composite structures to introduce multifunctionality at the bulk level. 

The organic thin films used in lithography are polymer casting films, Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films, SAMs and plasma-polymerized films. The molecular designs and syntheses of organic monolayer materials are studied for SPNL resists [89]. 

Langmuir monolayers play some part in the preparation of multi-layer systems, now mostly referred to as self-assembled monolayers or multilayers (SAM s). However, this role is modest because it is difficult to make Langmuir-Blodgett layers sufficiently perfect and stable to function in new materials, such as electronic and bio-mimetic devices. One approach of stabilizing LB films is by working with molecules having double bonds that, after deposition, are polymerized. Such layers are stable enough to serve as a substrate for protein adsorption ). 

Lastly, STM has also been applied to the molecular-level imaging of polymer structures. In some cases these materials were deposited by Langmuir-Blodgett techniques [51], and in some cases by in situ polymerization... 

Wegner, G, Ultrathin Films of Polymers. Ber. Bunsenges. Phys. Chem. 95,1326 (1991). Menzel, H. Hairy Rod-like Polymers. In The Polymeric Materials Encyclopedia Synthesis, Properties and Applications. J. S. Salamone, Ed- CRC Press Boca Raton (1996), p. 2917. Menzel, H., and Hallensleben, M. L. Langmuir-Blodgett-Films of Photochromic Polyglutamates. Polym. Bull. 27, 89 (1991). 

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