Hi,

When working with PDMS elastomer, usually we see trapped air bubbles while processing the elastomer. Viscosity of this elastomer is little higher than glycerol. To degas the trapped air bubbles we keep the vessel containing the elastomer-air bubble mixture in a desiccator which is connected to a low power vacuum pump. The process eliminates the bubbles to a practically accepted magnitude. As good as they are not there.

Another way you can employ is ultrasonication either using a sonicator system (vessel or probe). If buying such systems is too costly, there is ton of information available on internet on Do-It-Yourself techniques but equally it would require hands-on approach and great deal of tinkering. Hope these points would shade some light in solving your problem.

Regards

Amit

Hi,

If you are sure the reaction stopped and there is no further possibility to continue, then you can try to heat your polymer solution with gentle stirring at 60°C during all nigth. This allows solution viscosity to decrease and bubbles can diffuse from inside to outside.

Another approach is close to the one described by Amit before. Place your solution in a glass filtering vessel and connect it directly to a vacuum pump. Cover the top of the vessel with a rubber stopper (cap) to get a vacuum inside. Be careful with the solution volume that you add to the glass container to avoid the solution goes out during the process.

best wishes,

Gustavo