Fabrication of 2-dimensional honeycomb films by using polystyrene particle monolayers

Polyvinylalcohol (PVA) films with honeycomb structures have been fabricated by two methods employing polystyrene (PS) particle monolayers as a mold. By one method, an aqueous solution of PVA was spin-coated onto PS particle monolayers and PS particles were subsequently removed. In the resulting honeycomb film, the depth of the pores was a quarter of the diameter of the PS particles. The other employed PS particle monolayers floating on the surface of an aqueous solution of PVA. The resulting honeycomb film had pores with four fifths of the diameter of the PS particles. Subsequently, polyvinylformal (PVF) and silicone rubber films were fabricated by using the honeycomb films as a mold.