Semicrystalline Polymer Micro/Nanostructures Formed by Droplet Evaporation of Aqueous Poly(ethylene oxide) Solutions: Effect of Solution Concentration.

Deposits formed after evaporation of sessile droplets, containing aqueous solutions of poly(ethylene oxide), on hydrophilic glass substrates were studied experimentally and mathematically as a function of the initial solution concentration. The macrostructure and micro/nanostructures of deposits were studied using stereo microscopy and atomic force microscopy. A model, based on thin-film lubrication theory, was developed to evaluate the deposit macrostructure by estimating the droplet final height.

One Surface Treatment, Multiple Possibilities: Broadening the Use-Potential of Para-Aramid Fibers with Mechanical Adhesion.

Aramid fibers are high-strength and high-modulus technical fibers used in protective clothing, such as bulletproof vests and helmets, as well as in industrial applications, such as tires and brake pads. However, their full potential is not currently utilized due to adhesion problems to matrix materials. In this paper, we study how the introduction of mechanical adhesion between aramid fibers and matrix material the affects adhesion properties of the fiber in both thermoplastic and thermoset matrix.