| Abstract: | A simple coating method is used to form nanoporous hydrophobic films that
can be used as optical coatings. The method uses evaporation-induced
self-assembly of materials. The coating method starts with a homogeneous
solution comprising a hydrophobic polymer and a surfactant polymer in a
selective solvent. The solution is coated onto a substrate. The
surfactant polymer forms micelles with the hydrophobic polymer residing
in the particle core when the coating is dried. The surfactant polymer
can be dissolved and selectively removed from the separated phases by
washing with a polar solvent to form the nanoporous hydrophobic film. |