Surface Characterization and Adhesive Properties of Poly(imidesiloxane) Copolymers Containing Multiple Siloxane Segment Lengths

Versatile Landscape of Low-k Polyimide: Theories, Synthesis, Synergistic Properties, and Industrial Integration

The development of microelectronics and large-scale intelligence nowadays promotes the integration, miniaturization, and multifunctionality of electronic and devices but also leads to the increment of signal transmission delays, crosstalk, and energy consumption. The exploitation of materials with low permittivity (low-k) is crucial for realizing innovations in microelectronics. However, due to the high permittivity of conventional interlayer dielectric material (k ∼ 4.0), it is difficult to meet the demands of current microelectronic technology development (k < 3.0). Organic dielectric materials have attracted much attention because of their relatively low permittivity owing to their low material density and low single bond polarization. Polyimide (PI) exhibits better application potential based on its well permittivity tunability (k = 1.1-3.2), high thermal stability (>500 °C), and mechanical property (modulus of elasticity up to 3.0-4.0 GPa). In this review, based on the synergistic relationship of dielectric parameters of materials, the development of nearly 20 years on low-k PI is thoroughly summarized. Moreover, process strategies for modifying low-k PI at the molecular level, multiphase recombination, and interface engineering are discussed exhaustively. The industrial application, technological challenges, and future development of low-k PI are also analyzed, which will provide meaningful guidance for the design and practical application of multifunctional low-k materials.

Low Dielectric Poly(imide siloxane) Films Enabled by a Well-Defined Disiloxane-Linked Alkyl Diamine

This paper presents an efficient pathway to achieve the dielectric constant as low as 2.48 @ 25 °C, 1 MHz for nonporous poly(imide siloxane) films with mechanical and thermal robustness. A symmetric disiloxane-linked alkyl diamine, bis(aminopropyl)tetramethyldisiloxane (BATMS) with a well-defined molecular formula NH2CH2CH2CH2Si(CH3)2OSi(CH3)2CH2CH2CH2NH2, has been used to controllably reduce the dielectric constant of the polymer films by adjusting the loading of BATMS. The thermal stability of all the polymer films remains robust with T 5 and T 10 no less than 458 and 472 °C, respectively, while the glass-transition temperature decreases with increasing incorporation of flexible disiloxane-alkyl segments into a polymer backbone. There exists a consistent regularity between the thermal, optical, and dielectric properties with the loading amount of BATMS in the polymer films, inferring that the disiloxane-alkyl segments are homogeneously distributed in the polymer backbone. Charge-transfer complex inhibition of polymer films by disiloxane segments has been revealed by an enlarged d-spacing in wide-angle X-ray diffraction spectra and a blue shift in film fluorescence emission spectra. The combined low dielectric constant, robust mechanical and thermal stability, and improved hydrophobicity make the series of BATMS-resulting poly(imide siloxane) films promising candidates for sophisticated flexible microelectronic application.

Preparation and Properties of Poly(imide-siloxane) Copolymer Composite Films with Micro-Al2O3 Particles

In the current study, poly(imide-siloxane) copolymers (PIs) with different siloxane contents were synthesized and used as a matrix material for PI/Al2O3 composites. The PIs were characterized via their molecular weight, film quality, and thermal stability. Among the PI films, free-standing and flexible PI films were selected and used to prepare PI/Al2O3 composite films, with different Al2O3 loadings. The thermal conductivity, thermal stability, mechanical property, film flexibility, and morphology of the PI/Al2O3 composite films were investigated for their application as heat-dissipating material.

Synthesis and characterization of aromatic-PDMS segmented block copolymers and their shape-memory performance

Aromatic-PDMS (AB)_n multiblock copolymers: a one-component polymeric system that combines excellent mechanical properties with shape memory capability.

Development and Characterization of Mechanically Durable Silicone-Polythiourethane Composites Modified with Tetrapodal Shaped ZnO Particles for the Potential Application as Fouling-Release Coating in the Marine Sector

Ecological considerations strongly necessitate the development of environmentally friendly antifouling paints. A promising alternative to biocide containing antifouling paints are fouling-release coatings, which are non-toxic and designed to prevent permanent attachment of marine organisms to the surface, due to their low surface energy. However, these coatings suffer from insufficient mechanical properties, which make them unsuitable for mechanically stressed surfaces e.g., on ship hulls. To overcome those obstacles, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-polythiourethane (PTU) composites modified with tetrapodal shaped micro-nano ZnO particles (t-ZnO) were produced and characterized by evaluating the surface energy, mechanical properties, and fouling-release performance. Among all variations, PTU/1 wt.% PDMS composites with 1 wt.% t-ZnO particles possess superior properties for applications as fouling-release coatings for maritime purposes.

Atomic oxygen resistance of polyimide/silicon hybrid thin films with different compositions and architectures

Silicon (Si)-containing polyimides (PIs) with superior atomic oxygen (AO) resistance are promising materials for space applications. Here, in this study, we present the synthesis and characterization of eight Si-containing PI thin films and evaluate their AO durability. The resulting PI films exhibited high thermal stability and preferable AO resistance but showed slightly reduced mechanical performance relative to pristine PI. The highest optical transparency at 550 nm was observed for PI/octaaminopropylsilsesquioxane, while the lowest value was observed for PI/silica (SiO2) hybrids. X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopic study suggested that the topmost surface of PI was degraded at the early stage and an SiO2 inert protective layer was finally formed on the surface of hybrid films after AO exposure. It is found that Si-containing units of higher oxidation states and with higher Si/O molar ratio are favorable to improve the AO resistance. Dispersion of Si at molecular level contributes to improving anti-AO property as well as optical transparency of the prepared films. The characterization of scanning electron microscopy indicated a continuous SiO2 protective layer was crucial to prevent AO from eroding the bulk matrix.

In vitro biocompatibility evaluation of novel urethane-siloxane co-polymers based on poly(ϵ-caprolactone)-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane)-block-poly(ϵ-caprolactone)

Novel polyurethane co-polymers (TPUs), based on poly(ϵ-caprolactone)-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane)-block-poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL-PDMS-PCL) as soft segment and 4,4'-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and 1,4-butanediol (BD) as hard segment, were synthesized and evaluated for biomedical applications. The content of hard segments (HS) in the polymer chains was varied from 9 to 63 wt%. The influence of the content and length of the HS on the thermal, surface, mechanical properties and biocompatibility was investigated. The structure, composition and HS length were examined using (1)H- and quantitative (13)C-NMR spectroscopy. DSC results implied that the synthesized TPUs were semicrystalline polymers in which both the hard MDI/BD and soft PCL-PDMS-PCL segments participated. It was found that an increase in the average HS length (from 1.2 to 14.4 MDI/BD units) was accompanied by an increase in the crystallinity of the hard segments, storage moduli, hydrophilicity and degree of microphase separation of the co-polymers. Depending on the HS content, a gradual variation in surface properties of co-polymers was revealed by FT-IR, AFM and static water contact angle measurements. The in vitro biocompatibility of co-polymers was evaluated using the endothelial EA.hy926 cell line and protein adsorption on the polyurethane films. All synthesized TPUs adsorbed more albumin than fibrinogen from multicomponent protein mixture, which may indicate biocompatibility. The polyurethane films with high HS content and/or high roughness coefficient exhibit good surface properties and biocompatible behavior, which was confirmed by non-toxic effects to cells and good cell adhesion. Therefore, the non-cytotoxic chemistry of the co-polymers makes them good candidates for further development as biomedical implants.

Synthesis, characterization, topographical modification, and surface properties of copoly(imide siloxane)s

Novel copoly(imide siloxane)s were synthesized from commercially available aminopropyl terminated siloxane oligomers, aromatic dianhydrides, and diamines. This synthetic approach produced copolymers with well-defined siloxane blocks linked with imide units in a random fashion. The copoly(amide acid)s were characterized by solution viscosity and subsequently used to cast thin films followed by thermal imidization in an inert atmosphere. Thin films were characterized using contact angle goniometry, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, confocal and optical microscopy, and tensile testing. Adhesion of micron-sized particles was determined quantitatively using a sonication device. The polydimethylsiloxane moieties lowered the copolymer surface energy due to migration of siloxane moieties to the film’s surface, resulting in a notable reduction in particle adhesion. A further reduction in particle adhesion was achieved by introducing topographical features on a scale of several to tens of microns by a laser ablation technique.

Development of flexible LEO-resistant PI films for space applications using a self-healing mechanism by surface-directed phase separation of block copolymers

Polimide-block-polydimethylsiloxane (PI-b-PDMS) block copolymers have been synthesized from commercially available amino-terminated polysiloxanes with different molecular weights, for use as polymeric materials resistant to the low earth orbit (LEO) space environment. A structural optimization with respect to maximum environmental protection has been performed by varying the PDMS block length as well as the architecture of the block copolymers spanning from multiblock to triblock and star-shaped morphologies. The synthesized polymers and casted films show good mechanical and thermal performance. For block copolymers with a load of 2% PDMS (in the case of the multiblock copolymers), a complete surface coverage of the PDMS has been found. It has been shown that the transfer of the surface enriched PDMS layer into a thin silica layer after atomic oxygen (AO) exposure results in a drastic decrease in AO erosion rate. The silica layer protects the underlying material from oxygen initiated erosion resulting in a drastic decrease of surface roughness. This phenomena is observable for loads as small as 6 wt % PDMS.

Laser ablative patterning of copoly(imide siloxane)s generating superhydrophobic surfaces

Low surface energy copoly(imide siloxane)s were generated via condensation polymerization reactions. The generated materials were characterized spectroscopically, thermally, mechanically, and via contact angle goniometry. The decrease in tensile modulus and opaque appearance of copoly(imide siloxane) films indicated phase segregation in the bulk. Preferential surface partitioning of the siloxane moieties was verified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and increased advancing water contact angle values (theta(A)). Pristine copoly(imide siloxane) surfaces typically exhibited theta(A) values of 111 degrees and sliding angles from 27 degrees to >60 degrees. The surface properties of these copoly(imide siloxane) films were further altered using laser ablation patterning (frequency-tripled Nd:YAG laser, 355 nm). Laser-etched square pillar arrays (25 microm pillars with 25 microm interspaces) changed theta(A) by up to 64 degrees. Theta(A) values approaching 175 degrees and sliding angles from 1 degree to 15 degrees were observed. ATR-IR spectroscopy and XPS indicated polymer chain scission reactions occurred as a result of laser ablation. Initial particle adhesion studies revealed that the copoly(imide siloxane)s outperformed the corresponding homopolyimides and that laser ablation patterning further enhanced this result.

Phase separation at the surface of poly(ethylene oxide)-containing biodegradable poly(L-lactic acid) blends

The surface chemistry and in-depth distribution of the composition of a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-containing biodegradable poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) blend matrix system have been investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). This study reports detailed quantitative compositional information using a novel numerical method for determining depth profiles. The PEO system studied is an amphiphilic Pluronic P104 surfactant, PEO-b-poly(propylene oxide) (PPO)-b-PEO. The extent of phase separation is analyzed by determining the surface enrichment of the PEO component via measurement of chemical composition at the polymer-air interface. For this blend system, the combination of the PPO component in the Pluronic surfactants drives the formation of a surface excess of Pluronic in the blends with PLLA. The surface excess profile shows a rapid increase in Pluronic surface composition versus bulk Pluronic mass fractions of 1-5%, but the profile levels off above bulk Pluronic mass fractions of 5%.

Surface and interfacial segregation in blends of polystyrene with functional end groups and deuterated polystyrene

The effect of chain-end chemistry on surface and interfacial segregation in symmetric blends of polystyrene (hPS)/deuterated polystyrene (dPS) has been investigated by X-ray photoelectron and secondary ion mass spectroscopy in conjunction with neutron reflectivity measurements. Alpha,omega-fluoroalkyl- and alpha,omega-carboxy-terminated polystyrenes (alpha,omega-hPS(Rf)2 and alpha,omega-hPS(COOH)2) were used as end-functionalized polymers; the former possesses chain ends with lower surface energies, and the latter possesses higher surface energies compared with that of the main chain. In the case of an alpha,omega-hPS(Rf)2/dPS blend film, alpha,omega-hPS(Rf)2 was enriched at the surface owing to the surface localization of the Rf groups, although the surface energy of the hPS segments was slightly higher than that of the dPS ones. On the contrary, in the case of an alpha,omega-hPS(COOH)2/dPS blend film, dPS was preferentially segregated at the surface. This may be due to a surface depletion of COOH ends and an apparent molecular weight increase of alpha,omega-hPS(COOH)2 produced by a hydrogen-bonded intermolecular association of COOH ends in addition to the surface energy difference between hPS and dPS segments. Interestingly, both Rf and COOH chain ends were partitioned to the substrate interface for the alpha,omega-hPS(Rf)2/dPS and alpha,omega-hPS(COOH)2/dPS blend films, resulting in the segregation of the hPS component at the substrate interface for both blends. The results presented imply that surface and interfacial segregation in polymer blends could be regulated by incorporating functional groups into the end portions of one component.

Depth profiling of poly(L-lactic acid)/triblock copolymer blends with time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry employing an SF5+ polyatomic primary ion source was utilized to obtain a series of in-depth profiles from PLLA/Pluronic-P104 (poly(ethylene oxide-co-propylene oxide) triblock copolymer) blends in attempts to quantify the in-depth surface segregated Pluronic region. The resultant in-depth profiles were consistent with theoretical models describing the surface segregated region in polymeric blends and copolymer systems, with a surface enriched Pluronic-P104 region, followed by a P104 depletion layer, and finally a constant composition bulk region. These results were consistent over a range of concentrations (1-25%). The depth profiles obtained using cluster SIMS were compared to information obtained using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that, with cluster primary ion bombardment, we are for the first time able to quantify the polymeric composition as a function of depth within certain multicomponent polymer blends. This success can be attributed to the sputter characteristics of polyatomic primary ion bombardment (SF5+) as compared to monatomic primary ion beams.