Spontaneous thermally-induced delamination of polymer films

In this talk, we will discuss spontaneous thermally-induced biaxial delamination of thin polymer films from flat surfaces. The delamination results in the formation of ultra-high aspect ratio (up to 1000) of micro-ribbons of polydimethylsiloxane. The thickness, width, and length of the micro-ribbons is about 10 $\mu $m, 100 $\mu $m, and up to many centimeter respectively. We will demonstrate that the formation of polymer micro-ribbons can be experimentally controlled. Specifically, the thickness and mechanical properties of polymer, and geometrical and physical properties of the substrate played crucial roles in defining the delamination process. From the practical viewpoint, we demonstrate the use of the micro-ribbons for imaging and separation applications.