Soluble templates and methods of manufacture thereof

A method comprising:

• disposing a soluble polymer between two platens, where one of the platens has a texture;
• contacting the soluble polymer with the platen having the texture at a temperature of 23 to 300° C. and a pressure of 5 to 150 pounds per square inch;
• forming a mirror image of the texture on the soluble polymer;
• using the soluble polymer as a template to texture another surface;
• where the template is a free-standing film;
• where the texture comprises a pattern comprising a first plurality of spaced features;
• the spaced features arranged in a plurality of groupings;
• the spaced features within a grouping being spaced apart at an average distance of about 1 nanometer to about 500 micrometers;
• each feature having a surface that is substantially parallel to a surface on a neighboring feature;
• each feature being separated from its neighboring feature;
• and wherein the groupings of features being arranged with respect to one another so as to define a tortuous pathway;
• where the template in in the form of a free-standing film that has a maximum thickness of 1.5 millimeters and a minimum thickness that is no greater than 40 percent of the maximum thickness;
• where the surface area of the textured surface is at least greater than 10 cm2.