Making Nonsticky Surfaces of Sticky Materials: Self-Organized Microtexturing of Viscoelastic Elastomeric Layers by Tearing

• Published in: Langmuir Vol. 34; no. 12; pp. 3767 - 3774
• Main Authors: Patil, Sandip, Deshpande, Tushar, Chaudhari, Nayantika, Singh, Yogesh R. G, Raut, Janhavi, Joshi, Yogesh M, Sharma, Ashutosh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 27.03.2018
• ISSN: 0743-7463; 1520-5827
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b04389

Fabrication of large area, multiscale microtextured surfaces engineered for antiadhesion properties remains a challenge. Compared to an elastic surface, viscoelastic solids show much higher surface stickiness, tack, and adhesion owing to the increased contact area and energy dissipation. Here, we show a simple, low cost, large-area and high throughput method with roll-to-roll compatibility to fabricate multiscale, rough microstructures resistant to adhesion in a viscoelastic layer by controlled tearing of viscous film. Even a high adhesive strength viscoelastic solid layer, such as partially cured PDMS, is made nonsticky simply by its controlled tearing. The torn surface shows a fracture induced, self-organized leaflike micropattern resistant to sticking. The topography and adhesion strength of these structures are readily tuned by changing the tearing speed and the film thickness. The microtexture displays a springlike recovery, low adhesive strength, and easy release properties even under the high applied loads.