Metallization of polymer microporous films by using water droplets as templates and Optical properties

We have reported that regular microporous films can be prepared from casting a solution of hydrophobic and amphiphilic polymers (e.g. poly(ε-caploractone) and amphiphilic polyacrylamide delivertive) on a solid substrate under humid condition by using condensed water droplet arrays as templates. In this study, we show the preparation and optical properties of metallic (e.g. silver) microporous films by this self-organization process and electroless plating. After preparation of microporous films, catalyst (Platinum/palladium) was deposited by spattering. Silver ions were reduced on the Pt/Pd sputtered microporous films to form elemental silver. Metallized microporous films were annealed. The surface structure, chemical compositions and Optical properties of film were measured by using scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS), and ultraviolet, visible and near infrared radiation spectroscope (UV-Vis-NIR), respectively. Transmittances of microporous films were increased after metallization, and incident angle dependence of metallic microporous films were measured.