I am working on PANi/PVA self-standing films. For that I have dispersed PANi source i.e. emeraldine salt dispersed in NMP and ultrasonicated for few hours and the centrifuged to settle down the heavy particles. Now I know PVA a non-conducting polymer is soluble in NMP so I add that in the PANi dispersed NMP and want to fabricate a self-standing film. Now for film fabrication the NMP should be evaporated completely and here comes my problem. The boiling point of NMP is above 200 degree Celsius so to dry it at room temperature is very difficult and if I heat the mixture then the film adheres with the glass petridish and it becomes almost impossible to peel it off so can anyone suggest me any solution for this? Thanking in anticipation.
Dear Chaitanya Limberkar ,
I think there may be two methods to remove the NMP.
1. Physical method: except heating the substrate above the boiling point of NMP, put them in a low-pressure chamber can accelerate the evaporation of NMP. Since the BP of the substance will decrease with the atmosphere pressure reducing. So if you put them in a low-pressure chamber for a time, maybe 30min, 1h (it depends, the lower pressure, the evaporation rate would be faster), the NMP would be removed fine. Also, this process doesn't need to heat the substrate.
2. Chemical method: you could try to use some orthogonal solvents, which will dissolve the NMP but cannot dissolve the PVA/PVAi. Ethanol and chloroform can dissolve the NMP well, I'm not sure if they could dissolve the PVA/PVAi. But the principle is aforementioned.
Best regards
Muhammad Ahmad Thanks for your suggestion. I know what I am writing here now may sound immature but, just to be clear do I submerge the glass plate as soon as I took it off the heat so that the glass may break and I get the film or I should let it cool and then submerge it in water? Also by submerging in water should I have to worry about PVA getting dissolved again in water?
P.S. I am new to this polymer science and this is my first attempt to fabricate polymer films so kindly bear with my silly questions.
Dear You Chen thank you very much for your input will try your suggestions and will get back to you how it turns out.
Best Regards,
Chaitanya.
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