Paper TF+AS+SE+SS-MoA10
Mechanical Property Modification of Fiber Forming Polymers by Sequential Organometallic Exposures

Monday, October 28, 2013, 5:00 pm, Room 104 A

Hybrid organic-inorganic materials are of increasing interest in the development of novel materials that unite characteristic properties of both organic and inorganic constituents. This work explores the infiltration of ALD precursors into fiber forming polymers and the subsequent formation of a hybrid material interface. The hybrid functionalization is formed as a result of precursor diffusion through the porous sub-surface of the organic material which is followed by chemical reaction and nucleation. Previous research exploring the infiltration of organometallic precursors into polyamide-6 (PA-6) films via in-situ quartz crystal microgravimetry (QCM) indicates a strong dependence on the glass transition temperature of the polymer film. To explore this in more detail, in-situ QCM is employed to investigate the infiltration behavior of a series of polyesters and polymethacrylates that possess variations in functional group concentration and glass transition temperatures. The effect of this processing on the mechanical behavior of fibrous materials is also investigated. In particular this report highlights the structure-process-property relationships between modified and unmodified polyester fibers that have been infiltrated with trimethylaluminum (TMA). The results indicate that as the number of TMA cycles increases the peak load and elongation of the single fiber also increases. Mechanical testing is complemented by ex-situ characterization methods such as TEM to examine the interaction between the precursor and polymer and the composition of the hybrid layer. This work has important implications on sustainable textiles processes as well as the introduction of hybrid material properties to polymer systems.