Floating Nanometric Poly(methyl methacrylate) Films by Bursting Bubbles

Abstract

During bubble formation, a thin layer is created by the physical effects of a gas being trapped. This phenomenon is observed in polymers too, allowing the creation of a similar layer that is destroyed once bubbles collapse. Spin coating, vapor deposition, sputtering, or solution flotation are examples of techniques used to fabricate polymeric thin films using complex, expensive, or specific equipment. Additionally, manipulating thin bubble layers can be extremely hard. Here we show that polymer bubbles produced under water can create nanometer-thick polymer layers by popping them on the water surface. Our results showcase the formation of nanometric films by bursting bubbles made of polymethylmethacrylate. Moreover, we developed nanocomposite layers of equivalent thicknesses, incorporating luminescent nanoparticles. Lastly, we achieved a sensor approach by sample collection on the bubble surface within a medium through bubble dragging. We foresee a universal method in the field of polymers, including semiconductor ones, with applications in sensing, transistor manufacturing, and cationic traps for quantum computing.