Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Free-Standing Nanofilms by Controlled Rolling.

A water surface not only provides a habitat to many living organisms but also opens up new possibilities to develop state-of-the-art technologies. Here, we show a technology for the layer-by-layer assembly of free-standing nanofilms by controlled rolling. The water surface is exploited as an ideal platform for rolling a nanofilm, allowing adhesion control and frictionless feeding. The nanofilm floating on the water surface is attached to a tube by van der Waals adhesion and is rolled up by the rotation of the tube. This method can assemble diverse film materials including metals, polymers, and two-dimensional materials, with an easy control of the number of layers. Furthermore, heterogeneous and spiral structures of the nanofilm are achieved. Various applications such as a stretchable tubular electrode, an electroactive polymer tube actuator, and a superelastic nanofilm tube are demonstrated. We believe this work can potentially lead to a breakthrough in the nanofilm assembly processes.

Prediction of time-dependent swelling of flexible polymer substrates using hygro-mechanical finite element simulations.

The prediction of hygroscopic swelling of flexible polymer substrates is crucial in various fields from smart structures to flexible electronics. In this study, the prediction method for time-dependent hygroscopic deformation is presented by employing the finite element method (FEM). In order to precisely consider the strain gradients inside the substrate, moisture distribution depending on time is quantitatively investigated by a moisture absorption analysis and sequentially combined with a mechanical deformation analysis. The essential hygroscopic properties including the saturated moisture content, moisture diffusivity, and the coefficient of moisture expansion are precisely measured. Through the application of these hygroscopic properties to a hygro-mechanical analysis model, the moisture distribution and the hygroscopic deformation are quantitatively simulated with time. For the verification of this model, the simulation results of bilayer structures are compared with the experimental results, which are measured using a three-dimensional deformation measurement system. The presented model demonstrates that the global and local hygroscopic deformations are accurately predicted by this approach, showing above 90% averaged accuracy at each time step. These results can be obtained by precisely measured hygroscopic properties and the consideration of the effect of non-uniform distribution on the hygroscopic deformation.