| Abstract | Profilometry data for PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) films photothermally cured: Though it has been shown that photothermal synthesis can be used to cure thermoset polymers, the implications for the surface of the polymers have yet to be investigated. We show that proper choice of photothermal parameters can produce a surface roughness (0.00139 +/- 0.00006 micrometer) similar to that found for polymers cured in an oven (0.00155 +/- 0.00008 micrometer) and far less than those cured under ambient conditions (0.0081 +/- 0.0002 micrometer). Thus, photothermal heating can be used to create smooth thermoset polymer surfaces with nanometer scale surface roughness. |
