Surface textures induced by convection in thin films of polymeric and polymerizable fluids

Thin liquid layers of polymer solutions, oligomers and monomers, and oligomer–monomer bilayers were used as model systems to explore the mechanism of formation of surface textures in solid coatings and films. It was shown that under particular conditions vertical temperature gradients imposed on these fluid layers induce in them various types of convection. We demonstrated that hexagonal patterns with a high degree of order and symmetry are generated in fluid films undergoing surface tension-driven convection. Various non-equilibrium textures have been trapped in the solid state either by vitrification induced by solvent evaporation from the fluid layer, or by carefully performed polymerization of monomers and oligomers. Finally, we demonstrated that convection patterns can be replicated in convection-passive fluids by bringing them in contact with a fluid layer undergoing convection.