Bulk Property Modification of Fiber Forming Polymers using Vapor Phase Techniques.

摘要

Atomic layer deposition provides the opportunity to introduce nanoscale inorganic coatings to organic polymers creating coatings with varied compositions of finish and distinctive interfaces. Prior research has shown that ALD materials nucleation on polymers varies in composition and structure based on how the precursor interacts with the polymer chemistry and the process conditions. To study this in more detail, in-situ quartz crystal microgravimetry is employed to understand the infiltration and saturation behavior of trimethyl aluminum in polymer thin films. Emphasis is placed on understanding reactive vapor diffusion into polymers as the exposure temperature is varied. Potential growth mechanisms based on the temperature dependent observations in this work are proposed which leads to the understanding of hybrid organic-inorganic formation in polymers.;Furthermore, polymers which have subtle variations in microstructure are explored to elucidate the nucleation behavior of inorganic coatings on polymers in more detail. Specifically, in-situ quartz crystal microgravimetry is employed to understand the nucleation behavior of alumina ALD in a series of poly-n-methacrylate and polyester thin films. The work indicates the effect that a subtle change in polymer microstructure has on the properties of the polymer film and the resultant absorption/desorption characteristics during TMA/water exposures.;The effect of % crystallinity on the infiltration mechanism is also investigated in polymer films with varied crystallinities. Finally, the effect of the hybrid modification on the mechanical behavior of fibrous materials is also explored. In particular this dissertation highlights the process-property relationships between modified and unmodified fibers infiltrated with TMA. The results indicate that the peak load and elongation of the fibers increase with exposure to TMA. Therefore, this work has important implications on high impact applications as well as the introduction of inorganic material properties to flexible polymer systems.