Plasma surface modification of POSS-MA films on Ta-coated Si wafers

CHED 804

Ashley J. Figueiredo, figueiredo08@sbc.edu1, Brian H. Augustine, augustbh@jmu.edu2, Wm. Christopher Hughes, hugheswc@jmu.edu3, Katherine A. Zimmerman, zimmerka@jmu.edu2, and Charles C. Chusuei, chusuei@umr.edu4. (1) Department of Chemistry, Sweet Briar College, Guion Science Building, Sweet Briar, VA 24595, (2) Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, James Madison University, MSC 4501, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, (3) Department of Physics, James Madison University, MSC 4502, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, (4) Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri-Rolla, 142 Schrenk Hall, 1870 Miner Circle, Rolla, MO 65409-0010
Poly[(propylmethacryl-heptaisobutyl-polyhedral oligomeric silsequioxane)-co-(methylmethacrylate)] (POSS-MA) is a nanocomposite polymer which exhibits properties between glass and organic thin films. In order to characterize thin films of POSS-MA using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Ta was magnetron sputter-deposited onto 4” (100) Si wafers to create a smooth and conductive surface for POSS-MA deposition. A 2.0 mg/mL solution of 45% POSS-MA in CHCl3 was then spun-cast onto Ta/Si resulting in approximately 20 nm film. The samples were then plasma-treated at 25 W under various conditions. The thickness of the POSS-MA layer was measured via variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE) and the contact angles of deionized H2O on the surface were measured. It was found that any plasma exposure increased the hydrophilicity of the sample surface, but a 100% O2 plasma had the greatest effect while a 100% N2 plasma had the least. XPS data shows the surface changes to more SiO2 rich.
 

Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Polymer Chemistry
11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Monday, March 26, 2007 Hyatt Regency Chicago -- Riverside Center, Poster

Division of Chemical Education

The 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007