Hi,
I've got polymer system with a nanofiller and am trying to shear cast it and get a film. (Solvent: THF + DMF )
I do not want to heat my system and wanna let the solvent evaporate in ambient temperature.
The issue is that without heating, I'm not getting a uniform film (can't call it a film at all)
any solutions?
Try to dry it under vacuum. The low pressure drops the boiling point. THF is realtively easy to evaporate, DMF is not. Problems to handle: both these solvents are agressive and damage pastics and mineral oils. You will need a cold trap to catch the evloved vapours. Therefore, a gel slab dryer designed for aqueous gels is not likely to be suitable.
Kind regards,
Rob
Thanks for your note.
I've tried the vacuum before.
Although vacuum does help in faster evaporation of the solvents (especially DMF), but the main issue WHICH IS THE FORMATION OF A UNIFORM FILM is still remaining!
(in other words, without heating there's no chance for getting a uniform film - pictures attached-)
I'm using an acrylate system (good solvents for my acrylate monomers are chloroform, dichloromethane, toluene, THF)
Since the nanofiller was hydrophilic, I used a modification to make them hydrophobic (in order to be compatible with my acrylates)
The modified nanofiller is dispersed well in these solvents.
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