title: Supercritical fluid processing of polymer thin films: an X-ray study of molecular-level porosity.
abstract: This paper reviews our recent experimental results that address the effects of solvent density inhomogeneities in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO(2)) on polymer thin film processing. The key phenomenon is excess sorption of CO(2) molecules into polymer thin films even when the bulk miscibility with CO(2) is very poor. We have found that the amount of the excess sorption is attributed to the large density fluctuations in scCO(2) near the critical point. Further, taking advantage of the vitrification process of polymer chains through quick evaporation of CO(2), we can preserve the "expanded" structures as they are. The resultant films have large degree of molecular-level porosity that is very useful in producing coatings with low dielectric constants, enhanced adhesion, and metallization properties. These characteristics can be achieved in an environmentally "green" manner, without organic solvents, and are not specific to any class of polymers.
authors.affiliation: Chemical and Molecular Engineering Program, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-2275, USA. tkoga@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
authors.forename: Tadanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koga
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jerome
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rafailovich
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Satija