The present disclosure is directed to methods for preparing nanoparticle monolayers on a sub-phase by controlling the spreading rate of the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are first prepared in a nanoparticle solution at a predetermined concentration with a solvent. The sub-phase solution is prepared to have a density and viscosity compatible with the desired spreading rate. Additives, such as glycerol, are used to alter the density of the sub-phase solution. A volume of nanoparticle solution is deposited on the surface of the sub-phase solution and allowed to spread in a controlled manner on the unconstrained surface, forming a uniform nanoparticle monolayer. A substrate is then placed in contact with the nanoparticle monolayer to form a uniform nanoparticle coating on the surface of the substrate.

A method for depositing a film on a substrate, which includes the steps of forming a film using a liquid composition that includes a neutral surfactant and a charged lamellar compound, placing the film in contact with the substrate and depositing the film on substrate. Also, a process for analyzing a substrate onto which a film has been deposited by the method.

This invention generally relates to a method for preparing and transferring a monolayer or thin film. In particular this present invention is an improved version of the Langmuir-Schaefer technique for preparing and transferring a monolayer or thin film, incorporating in situ thermal control of the substrate during the transfer process.

An installation for forming a compact film of particles on a surface of a carrier fluid, including: a zone acting as a reservoir of carrier fluid; an inclined ramp; a particle storage and transfer zone situated extending from the inclined ramp; a mechanism moving the fluid; a mechanism dispensing the particles in solution, configured to dispense the particles at the surface of the carrier on the surface of the carrier fluid in the zone acting as a reservoir; and a mechanism raising a level of the carrier fluid by capillary effect, arranged at a junction between the zone acting as a reservoir and the inclined ramp.

This invention discloses a method for controlling nanoscopic wetting near or at a molecular scale for synthetic material applications. In particular this invention relates to a method for preparing a monolayer or thin film with a patterned nanoscopic wetting surface using a ‘sitting’ phase of polymerizable amphiphile, wherein hydrophobic alkyl chains of the amphiphile extend along the supporting surface and the amphiphile molecules align side-to-side, effectively forming a repeating cross-section of bilayer with alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic stripes of a ˜6 nm pitch tunable based on the chain length of the amphiphile. Products prepared according to the methods disclosed herein are within the scope of this invention. In some embodiments, monolayers or thin films so prepared are transferable.

A device for coating semiconductor/semiconductor precursor particles on a flexible substrate and a preparation method of a semiconducting thin film, wherein the device includes: a container for a first and second solvent substantially immiscible; injection means for injecting a predetermined dispersion volume of at least one layered semiconductor particle material or its precursor(s), occurring at a liquid-liquid interface formed within the container and between the first and second solvent, and creating a particle film at the liquid-liquid interface; a first support means; substrate extracting means; substrate supply means; compression means, reducing a distance between particles and push the film onto the substrate, wherein the compression means includes several pushing means mounted on a drive device, wherein at least two of the several pushing means are at least partially submerged in the second solvent during drive device rotation, and moved through the second solvent toward the first support means.

The present invention generally relates to a method for creating a chemically structured surface with structural elements as small as 1 nm, on a material that does not itself display a high degree of ordering, using thin molecular layers that minimize the material added through the coating. In particular, the present invention discloses a method for assembling a chemical pattern on a surface, comprising pattern elements with scales that can be as small as 1 nm, and then transferring that pattern to another substrate, on which the pattern would not form natively. In the described method, the patterned monolayer is comprised of polymerizable amphiphiles such as diyne phospholipids or diynoic acids, which are transferred from the ordering substrate using a transferring material such as poly(dimethylsiloxane).

In an example, a method including dispensing a liquid onto a first portion of a surface of a substrate and dispensing a solution comprising colloidal spheres onto a second portion of the surface of the substrate. The method additionally includes agitating the colloidal spheres to disperse the colloidal spheres along the first portion and the second portion of the surface of the substrate and directing air flow above the colloidal spheres inducing rotation of the colloidal spheres. In another example, a method includes positioning a retaining ring on a surface of a liquid above a substrate below the surface of the liquid and dispensing a solution comprising colloidal spheres onto the surface of the liquid within a surface area of the retaining ring. The method further includes agitating the surface of the liquid and the colloidal spheres to disperse the colloidal spheres along the surface area of the retaining ring.

This invention relates to method and system for forming a film. The method including providing a trough containing water defining an air-water interface between air and the water; providing a solution containing a material of interest; and electrospraying the solution onto the air-water interface of water to form a film of the material of interest at the air-water interface. The system includes a trough containing water defining an air-water interface between air and the water; and means for spreading a solution containing a material of interest onto the air-water interface of water by electrospray, to form a film of the material of interest at the air-water interface. The spreading means comprises an electrospraying device.

The present disclosure generally pertains to methods of preparing a well-ordered nanoparticle coating on a substrate. A nanoparticle solution having nanoparticles in a solvent is deposited on a sub-phase of a denser, immiscible liquid. A constrained area on the top surface of the sub-phase is provided, where nanoparticle solution spreading is physically limited and the nanoparticles spontaneously form a uniformly ordered monolayer on the sub-phase within the constrained area. Notably, no compression of the nanoparticle film occurs after the spreading phase in order to form the monolayer. After the monolayer is formed, a substrate is placed into contact with the monolayer and coated with a well-ordered nanoparticle coating.