PMMA: A key macromolecular component for dielectric low-κ hybrid inorganic-organic polymer films

Inorganic-organic composite and hybrid films find widespread applications for the development of functional materials. Polymer matrices with embedded inorganic fillers, nanoparticles or clusters are particularly appealing for optical, electronic, dielectric and magnetic applications. In particular, the development of hybrid layers with tailored dielectric properties represents a key issue in many technological fields.In this framework, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), due to its outstanding chemico-physical properties, represents a particularly suitable polymer component for the embedding of both microscopic and nanoscopic functional inorganic fillers. The wide use of such a matrix has to be traced back to the favourable combination of chemical and physical properties and easy processing. In this review, the main features and properties of PMMA, with a particular focus on dielectric ones, are firstly briefly described. Selected examples to illustrate the state-of-the art of its corresponding use as dielectric matrix are given and several examples are provided and surveyed.Finally, three case studies concerning PMMA-based hybrid films, produced for very different application fields, are described and discussed. The first example deals with the entrapment of micrometric zinc sulphide powders in PMMA, which acts as a host matrix for the electroluminescent particles in thick film-based Alternate Current Powder Electroluminescent Lamps (ACPELs). The second example describes the preparation of low-κ inorganic-organic hybrid dielectric films based on a PMMA-polyvinylchloride(PVC) blend and a hydrophobic silica powder functionalised on the surface with trimethylsiloxane groups (m-SiO₂). The composition of the investigated materials is [(PMMA)_x(PVC)_y]/(m-SiO₂)_z with z ranging from 0 to 38.3 wt% and x = y = (100 − z)/2. The third case concerns the use of PMMA as a matrix to embed zirconium oxoclusters through the formation of covalent bonds. The obtained material, characterised by a dielectric constant value remarkably lower (1.93 at 1 kHz and 25 °C) than in pristine PMMA (3.0 at 1 kHz and 25 °C), appears as very appealing for the development of microelectronic devices based on low dielectric constant polymer films such as, for instance, field-effect transistor (FET).These three cases are paradigms of three different approaches to composite and hybrid materials based on the embedding of particles in PMMA polymer matrix.     

Polarization time effect on PMMA space-charge relaxation by TSDC

The effect of the polarization time in the formation of the PMMA space charge relaxation has been studied. The study has been carried out by thermally stimulated depolarization currents of electrets formed by windowing polarization. The results obtained have been fitted to the general kinetic order model, and they are consistent with the existence of a space-charge polarization mechanism with the kinetic order of 1.14. The intensity of the peak maxima results in being a good indicator of the trapped carrier number evolution. For high temperatures and high electrical fields the saturation of this mechanism is achieved faster, which is attributed to a carrier mobility increase with these parameters. Finally, a compensation law has been found for space-charge-relaxation in PMMA. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 1971–1980, 1998     

Preparation and characterization of microporous PVDF/PMMA composite membranes by phase inversion in water/DMSO solutions

PMMA/PVDF composite membranes were prepared by isothermal immersion-precipitation of dope solutions consisting of PMMA, PVDF, and DMSO into both harsh and soft nonsolvent baths. The effects of PMMA and DMSO contents on the membrane morphology, crystal structure, thermal behavior and tensile strength of the formed membrane were investigated. For a PMMA-free casting dope immersed in a harsh bath, such as pure water, the formed membrane exhibited a typical asymmetric morphology characterized by skin, finger-like macrovoids, and cellular pores. In contrast, when a soft 70% DMSO bath was adopted, PVDF crystallized to form a membrane packed by spherulitic globules. Incorporation of PMMA gave rise to interesting morphological features; e.g., PVDF globules were observed to adhere to the interlocked polymer branches coexisting with the continuous porous channels, as revealed by high resolution FESEM imaging. XPS analysis of the surfaces of the composite membranes suggested the occurrence of a surface segregation phenomenon, wherein PVDF preferentially migrated to the top surface region of the membrane such as to minimize the interfacial energy. XRD analyses indicated that PVDF crystallized into ‘α’ structure in both PVDF and PMMA/PVDF composite membranes. The crystallinity of the membranes was found to decrease with increasing PMMA content, which was confirmed by DSC thermal analyses. The latter results also indicated a significant decrease in membrane’s melting temperature as the PMMA content was increased. Tensile strengths of the membranes were improved by inclusion of PMMA in either harsh or soft baths. However, elongation at break showed a reversed trend.     

Molecular dynamics of poly(ATRIF) homopolymer and poly(AN-co-ATRIF) copolymer investigated by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy

Aiming to develop new dielectric polymers containing CN and F groups with strong dipole moments, a novel copolymer of acrylonitrile (AN) and 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl acrylate (ATRIF) was synthesized in acetonitrile by free radical process as well as the respective homopolymer (poly(ATRIF)). The copolymer’s composition and microstructure were analyzed by FTIR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and SEC. The molar incorporation of AN determined in the copolymer by NMR was 58 mol%. Thermogravimetric analysis of poly(AN-co-ATRIF) copolymer showed good thermal stability comparatively to the fluorinated homopolymer.Both copolymer, poly(AN-co-ATRIF), and homopolymer, poly(ATRIF), were dielectrically characterized over a frequency range from 10⁻¹ to 10⁶ Hz, and in a temperature range from 223 to 393 K. The dominating relaxation process detected in both materials is the α-relaxation, associated with the dynamic glass transition. A VFTH temperature dependence of the relaxation times (τ) was found for both materials, as characteristic of cooperative processes, from which the respective glass transition temperatures (T_g(τ = 100 s)) were estimated, which differ ∼40 K, the one of the copolymer being higher (307 K) in accordance to the calorimetric analysis. This effect was attributed to a higher stiffness of the backbone in the copolymer originated by the inclusion of the acrylonitrile groups. Both relaxation functions have the same breath of relaxation times allowing constructing a single master curve, indicating similar non-exponential character. A less fragile behavior was found for the copolymer. This was rationalized in a more straightforward way by the free volume approach instead from a correlation between fragility and intermolecular coupling. It was found that in the copolymer the free volume increases at a lower rate with the temperature increase. It was inferred from the VFTH temperature dependence of the dc conductivity and low values of the decoupling index that ion motion is significantly influenced by the dynamics of the α-process.     

无皂乳液聚合法制备聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯包覆厚度可控的纳米核-壳二氧化硅微球

用改进的Stöber法和无皂乳液聚合法制备窄分布的二氧化硅/PMMA核-壳纳米微球. 用改进的Stöber法将3-乙氧基甲基丙烯酸丙基硅烷(MPS)修饰在纳米的二氧化硅表面后, 用无皂乳液聚合法制备核-壳纳米微球. 该法简单有效且得到厚度均匀的聚合物包覆层. 随着单体MMA用量的增加, 用动态光散射法测量, PMMA壳层的厚度从6.4 nm增加到96.3 nm. 热重分析表明, PMMA的含量从22.25%增加到93.41%. 扫描电子显微镜和透射电子显微镜结果表明, 得到的是包覆良好、表面光滑的核-壳无机/聚合物纳米微球.     

Organic–inorganic hybrid materials. V. Dynamics and degradation of poly(methyl methacrylate) silica hybrids

Poly(methyl methacrylate)–silica hybrid materials (PMMA–SiO₂) were prepared by in situ polycondensation of alkoxysilane in the presence of trialkoxysilane‐functional PMMA. Infrared, differential scanning calorimetry, ²⁹Si and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis were used to study the PMMA–SiO₂ hybrids. The effects of the content and kind of the alkoxysilane on the dynamics and stability of the PMMA–SiO₂ hybrids were investigated in this study.The dynamics of SiO₂within hybrids were investigated with ²⁹Si–¹H cross‐polarization. The spin‐diffusion path length was on a nanometer scale estimated with the spin–lattice relaxation time in the rotating frame (T). The apparent activation energies for the degradation of the hybrids under air and nitrogen were evaluated by the van Krevelen method. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1972–1980, 2000     

Molecular dynamics of amorphous/crystalline polymer blends studied by broadband dielectric spectroscopy

The molecular dynamics of poly(vinyl acetate), PVAc, and poly(hydroxy butyrate), PHB, as an amorphous/crystalline polymer blend has been investigated using broadband dielectric spectroscopy over wide ranges of frequency (10⁻² to 10⁵ Hz), temperature, and blend composition. Two dielectric relaxation processes were detected for pure PHB at high and low frequency ranges at a given constant temperature above the T_g. These two relaxation peaks are related to the α and α′ of the amorphous and rigid amorphous regions in the sample, respectively. The α′-relaxation process was found to be temperature and composition dependent and related to the constrained amorphous region located between adjacent lamellae inside the lamellar stacks. In addition, the α′-relaxation process behaves as a typical glass relaxation process, i.e., originated from the micro-Brownian cooperative reorientation of highly constraints polymeric segments. The α-relaxation process is related to the amorphous regions located between the lamellar crystals stacks. In the PHB/PVAc blends, only one α-relaxation process has been observed for all measured blends located in the temperature ranges between the T_g’s of the pure components. This last finding suggested that the relaxation processes of the two components are coupled together due to the small difference in the T_g’s (ΔT_g = 35 °C) and the favorable thermodynamics interaction between the two polymer components and consequently less dynamic heterogeneity in the blends. The T_g’s of the blends measured by DSC were followed a linear behavior with composition indicating that the two components are miscible over the entire range of composition. The α′-relaxation process was also observed in the blends of rich PHB content up to 30 wt% PHB. The molecular dynamics of α and α′-relaxation processes were found to be greatly influenced by blending, i.e., the dielectric strength, the peak broadness, and the dielectric loss peak maximum were found to be composition dependent. The dielectric measurements also confirmed the slowing down of the crystallization process of PHB in the blends.     

Controllable synthesis of nanosilica surface-grafted PMMA macromonomers via catalytic chain transfer polymerization

Catalytic chain transfer polymerization (CCTP) has emerged as an efficacious method to produce low-molecular weight polymers. In this paper, we reported the first controllable synthesis of nanosilica surface-grafted poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) (SI-PMMA) macromonomers by using bis(aqua)bis((difluoroboryl)-dimethylglyoximato)cobalt(II) (CoBF) as a chain transfer catalyst via CCTP. In a typical run, we firstly prepared functionalized nanosilica by using 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propylmethacrylate (MPS) as the coupling agent, allowing naosilica containing unsaturated double bonds in end groups. Subsequently, SI-PMMA macromonomers were prepared by PMMA surface-grafted onto the functionalized nanosilica via CCTP. The as-prepared products were characterized by Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR) spectrum, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transforms Raman (FT-Raman) spectrum and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). We also investigated the dependence of macromonomers on CoBF concentrations.     

Proton NMR investigation of the local dynamics of PEO in PEO/PMMA blends

Longitudinal relaxation of proton magnetisation was used to characterize the molecular motions of PEO chains in compatible PEO (hydrogenated)/PMMA (deuterated) blends. Both the temperature and the PEO concentration, Φ, were varied. A maximum in the spin–lattice relaxation rate was observed and its properties were analyzed as a function of Φ. For Φ ≤ 0.50, the maximum is observed below the glass transition temperature of the blend; this shows that PEO chains dispersed in a matrix of PMMA remain highly mobile on a local scale even below T_g(Φ). A frequency–temperature correspondence procedure, applied to the measurements performed at two Larmor frequencies, 32 and 60 MHz, leads to a characteristic correlation time for PEO molecular motions. Its temperature dependence obeys a WLF free volume relation above the glass transition of the blends. The PEO free volume fraction and its thermal expansion are strongly reduced by the presence of the PMMA chains. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 1095–1105, 1997     

Optical and microstructural studies on electron irradiated PMMA: A positron annihilation study

The effect of electron irradiation on the free volume related microstructural and optical properties of Poly(methyl methacrylate) have been studied using Positron Annihilation and other techniques. The FTIR spectral study on the irradiated films suggests the existence of CC group and is understood by invoking the carbonaceous clusters as a consequence of chain scission in PMMA. Using UV-Visible absorption spectra the optical parameters like optical energy bandgap and activation energy were determined and the variation of these parameters suggests the existence of defects within the irradiated sample. Following Robertson’s theory, the carbonaceous cluster size is estimated and it increases with increase in electron dose. The XRD study indicates the enhancement of amorphous nature of the film due to chain scission by irradiation. The Positron annihilation result shows that electron irradiation affects the free volume related microstructure and the carbonaceous clusters may act as positron scattering centers.     

PS-PMMA嵌段共聚物/PMMA在选择性溶剂中的自组装行为

用动态光散射和透射电镜研究了嵌段共聚物聚苯乙烯-聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯(PS-b-PMMA)和其对应的均聚物聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯(PMMA)在选择性溶剂四氢呋喃/环己烷(THF/CYH)中的自组装行为.选择性溶剂对PS嵌段是良溶剂,对PMMA嵌段和均聚物PMMA是非良溶剂,实验结果表明,在适当的分子量及组成条件下,PS-PMMA/PMMA在选择性溶剂中形成了单分散的纳米胶束,均聚物PMMA与PMMA嵌段一同形成了胶束的核,通过控制均聚物PMMA的量可以在较大的范围内调整胶束的尺寸.     

烷基硫酸钠对MMA种子乳液聚合的影响

研究了烷基硫酸钠纯度，烷基碳链分布对甲基丙烯酸甲酯种子乳液聚合反应的影响。结果表明，烷基硫酸钠中乙醇不溶物含量的增加，可提高ＭＭＡ乳液聚合反应速度，在采用Ｋ２Ｓ２Ｏ８－ＮａＨＳＯ３－Ｃｕ＾２＋三元氧化－还原引发体系的ＭＭＡ乳液聚合中，Ｆｅ＾２＋降低反应速率，而Ｆｅ＾３＋则提高聚合反应速率；     

半导体纳米复合材料ZnS/PMMA制备及其光学性质的研究

采用预聚法和溶胀法制备了具备光学透明性和可加工性的半导体纳米复合材料ZnS/PMMA. 用透射电镜(TEM)观察了ZnS纳米粒子在聚合物基体中的形貌. 结果表明， 基体中ZnS为六方晶型. 比较了分别以含锌微凝胶(ZnP)和ZnCl2为Zn2+源时,ZnS在基体中的生长情况. 紫外吸收和荧光光谱表明,掺杂了ZnS后的PMMA基体在280 nm处出现了一个新的吸收峰和强的荧光峰.     

聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯微流控芯片分离DNA片段的初步研究

自从1995年Mathies^[1]首次将微流控芯片毛细管凝胶电泳用于基因测序研究以来,DNA片段的分离已成为微流控芯片应用的重要领域之一.最早应用于DNA分析的微流控芯片是玻璃芯片,聚合物微流控芯片以其品种多、成本低、易于加工,与玻璃芯片相比具有封接温度大大降低,微通道内电渗流显著减小等特点,已被成功应用于DNA片段的分离^[2,3].     

A note on ‘sub-Tg relaxation processes in poly(cyclohexylmethacrylate)’

We have critically examined the various relaxation processes occurring in poly(cyclohexylmethacrylate) using dielectric spectroscopy. In addition to the α- and γ-processes found earlier by other workers, we have detected a secondary (β-)process in the temperature range of 293-353 K with an activation energy of about 73 ± 5 kJ/mol.     

A PMMA composite as an optical diffuser in a liquid crystal display backlighting unit (BLU)

The effect of thermo-physical properties, relative humidity and stiffness on the warpage of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) diffusing plate modified with glass fibers in a direct-lit backlight unit (BLU) of a liquid crystal display (LCD) was investigated. The warpage of the PMMA diffusing composites modified with a glass fiber were significantly reduced relative to that of a conventional PMMA diffusing plate. Luminance and scattering characteristics of the PMMA diffusing composites having 5, 10, 20 vol% of glass fibers were measured. Although the luminance of the composite was lowered as increasing the volume fractions of glass fibers in the PMMA composites, good brightness uniformity of the composites on a light source was obtained.     

Effects of inorganic components on the structure and thermo-oxidative degradation of PMMA modified metal alkoxide–EAA complex

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) modified titanium and zirconium n-butoxide–ethyl acetoacetate (EAA) complex [M5-Ti(OBuⁿ)₂(EAA)₂ and M5-Zr(OBuⁿ)₂(EAA)₂] were obtained from trialkoxysilane-functional PMMA and EAA modified titanium and zirconium alkoxide via the sol–gel method. Infrared (IR), ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to analyze the structures and properties of the hybrids with various proportions of metal oxide species. The effect of the complex of metal oxides and EAA ligands on structure and thermo-oxidative degradation of the M5-Ti(OBuⁿ)₂(EAA)₂ and M5-Zr(OBuⁿ)₂(EAA)₂ hybrids were investigated in this study. The ¹H spin–diffusion path length of the hybrids was in a nanometer scale as estimated from the spin–lattice relaxation time in a rotating frame (T_1ρ^H). The apparent activation energies (E_a), evaluated by van Krevelen’s method, for random scission of PMMA segments in hybrids decreased with increasing metal oxide content.     

New dielectric relaxation process reveals mesomorphic ordering in rapidly cooled poly(ethylene naphthalate)

A curious, strong dielectric relaxation process (δ) was found in rapidly cooled poly(ethylene naphthalate). This process, which is located between two known β and β* relaxations of PEN, appears predominantly after rapid cooling and remains present even after heating above the glass transition temperature. In view of its very low activation energy of ∼10 kJ/mol, its markedly high relaxation strength of up to Δɛ=5, and its Debye-like peak shape, a collective relaxation mechanism is proposed, which involves collective crankshaft motions of the -O-CH₂-CH₂-O- sequences in a regular arrangement of the main chains. The analogy between this δ-relaxation and an ultra-slow relaxation recently found in the smectic E phase of a side-chain liquid crystalline polymer suggests a (close-to) hexagonal smectic ordering in PEN. The very existence of liquid-crystalline order in PEN is corroborated by the observation of a thermo-reversible discontinuity in the relaxation parameters around −90 °C, which resembles a broadened LC-LC phase transition. Re-evaluation of experimental data of the β* relaxation, which occurs in the non-crystalline fraction of PEN, suggests that this relaxation is sensitive to the local orientational order, which extends from nematic to isotropic. The shift in the temperature of the β* peak and even the splitting of this peak found by other authors can be ascribed to the lowering of the activation energy by the local ordered packing of the PEN chains in line with a lower activation energy in the nematic order. The coexistence of isotropic and nematic regions in PEN is put in the context of orientational order fluctuations during the induction period of cold crystallisation of semi-flexible polymers. Received: 31 August 2000 Accepted: 30 October 2000     

一种连接石英毛细管的聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯电泳芯片的制作及其应用

利用模拟仿真软件模拟了死体积对于电泳分离的影响,并提出了一种实现聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯(Poly-methylmethacrylate,PMMA)电泳芯片与毛细管的最小死体积连接方法.将紫外吸收检测的检测窗口设计在石英毛细管上,使该PMMA芯片上的电泳分析可以直接采用紫外吸收检测器进行检测.利用该芯片对维生素B2进行了电泳分析,理论塔板数为73000/m;联磺甲氧苄啶片中的3种组分的分离度为4.5和1.9,3个峰迁移时间的RSD依次为1.0%,1.4%和1.0%,峰高的RSD依次为4.1%,3.0%和4.1%(n=5).