Fabrication of layer-by-layer self-Assembly films using roll-to-roll process

In this research, we fabricated thin films deposited on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films by a layer-by-layer self-assembly method using a roll-to-roll process and measured the morphology and transmittance of the thin films using atomic force microscopy (AFM) (nanoscope IIIa, Digital Instruments) and UV-vis spectroscopy (Filmetrics, Inc). The thin films consisting of poly(allylamine hydrochloride), (PAH) adjusted to pH 7.5 and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) adjusted to pH 3.5 showed a textured structure on moving film substrates. From these results, we found that polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) thin films showing similar to those structures of the films fabricated using a conventional dipping process were successfully assembled via the roll-to-roll process. We consider that this roll-to-roll process is suitable for fabricating large-area thin films.