Nanoscale Effects in Temperature Induced Polymer Coatings

In this paper the results of recent studies on the application of lower critical solution temperature (LCST) phenomena of polymer solutions to the surface modification of flat and spherical substrates are reported. It has been found that controlled polymer deposition can be achieved at temperatures exceeding LCST. The obtained polymer coating exhibits a peculiar surface morphology and, if particles are introduced, can be highly effective in pigment dispersions stabilizing. It has been established that the temperature induced polymer deposition can be carried out as the finely dispersed component precipitation on the substrate surface that goes along with the polymer deposition at temperatures exceeding LCST, which in its turn allows to modify the pigments surface when finely dispersed additives are incorporated into the surface modifying coating.