Eur. Phys. J. E 5, 81-85
Stratification of foam films made from polyelectrolyte solutions
D. LangevinLaboratoire de Physique des Solides, Université Paris-Sud, bâtiment 510, 91405 Orsay, France langevin@lps.u-psud.fr
(Received 25 April 2000 and Received in final form 3 October 2000)
Abstract
Studies of thin liquid films, made from semidilute polyelectrolyte solutions, are presented. The disjoining pressure variation
with film thickness exhibits oscillations, corresponding to film stratification. The oscillations become sharper as the polymer
concentration c increases, and disappear when salt is added. The period of the oscillations scales as c-1/2. The observed stratification is related
to the polymer network and the size of the steps to the mesh size .
68.15.+e - Liquid thin films.
61.25.Hq - Macromolecular and polymer solutions; polymer melts; swelling.
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag 2001