Transition from split streamlines to dip-coating during Langmuir–Blodgett film deposition

Mono-molecular films of arachidic acid were deposited on glass slides using the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) technique. The liquid subphases were dilute solutions of ZnSO₄ at different pH. Glass slides were treated to create contact angles (θ) ranging from approximately 15° for clean glass slides, to contact angles greater than 120° for slides treated with ferric stearate. Intermediate contact angles were created by immersing slides in solutions of Sigmacote^® of varying concentration. Very small contact angles, θ≈0° were obtained with clean glass slides at high pH values. LB deposition data and transfer ratios (TR) were recorded for up-stroke and down-stroke operation. During upstroke, TR increase with decreasing contact angles reaching a maximum TR close to 100% when the receding contact angle is approximately 15–20°. This is typical of the split-ejection flow pattern found during up-stroke. For very small contact angles, i.e. less than 10°, TR suddenly become zero indicating a transition to a dip-coating flow pattern. During down-stroke operation, TR is zero or negative for small contact angles, reaching a maximum TR approximately 100% for contact angles larger than 120°.