Surface‐induced Polymer Crystallization

This chapter provides a context as to how the foreign surface can affect the crystallization process of a polymer. It contains a brief introduction on the possible influences of foreign surfaces on the crystallization kinetics of polymers and the resultant unique crystal structure and morphology of polymers in contact with different surfaces. The advantages of surface-induced polymer crystallization to fabricate polymeric materials with improved property or enhanced efficiency is described with some elaborately selected examples. The crystallization of polymer thin films on a solid surface is most frequently encountered in many application fields, such as coating, electronics, and optoelectronics. The most important part of surface-induced polymer crystallization should be actually the influence of a foreign surface on the crystal structure and morphology of the polymers, which are the key factors in tailoring the property and even the functionality of the polymeric materials.