IUVSTA 15th International Vacuum Congress (IVC-15), AVS 48th International Symposium (AVS-48), 11th International Conference on Solid Surfaces (ICSS-11)
    Plasma Science Tuesday Sessions
       Session PS-TuP

Paper PS-TuP32
Surface Coating of Poly(meta-phenylene isophthalamide) Nanofibers by Chemical Vapor Deposition and Metal Sputtering

Tuesday, October 30, 2001, 5:30 pm, Room 134/135

Session: Plasma Deposition, Modeling, and Emerging Applications Poster Session
Presenter: M. Graham, University of Akron
Authors: M. Graham, University of Akron
W. Liu, University of Akron
D. Reneker, University of Akron
E.A. Evans, University of Akron
Correspondent: Click to Email
Electrospun nanofibers can be used as either functional or sacrificial substrates for creating nanoscale structures. Surface structures of electrospun nanofibers are of great significance for applications in the areas of filtration, biomedicine, catalyst support and electronics. Coating by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or physical vapor deposition (PVD) offers a straightforward method to modify the surface properties of nanofibers. Using CVD and/or PVD processes surface roughness, chemical composition, mechanical strength, and electrical conductivity can be controlled. Fibers of poly(meta-phenylene isophthalamide) (MPD-I) were commercialized by the Dupont company under the trademark of Nomex®. MPD-I nanofibers were electrospun and collected onto aluminum foil and copper grids as a thin sheet of nonwoven fabric. The average diameter of the as-spun MPD-I fibers was around 200 nm. There was a distribution of fiber sizes. The smallest fiber observed was 4 nm. The fiber surface was relatively smooth. Ultra-thin web-like fibers 3, spring-like fibers and branching fibers were observed, demonstrating the versatility of morphological features produced by electrospinning. Fibers were coated with carbon, copper, aluminum and aluminum nitride using plasma enhanced CVD and PVD processes. TEM, SEM, AFM, and reflectivity measurements were used to characterize the uncoated and coated fibers. MPD-I nanofibers were successfully coated with thin film materials using CVD and PVD processes. The surface features of the fibers were modified so that the roughness, chemical stability, wettability, conductivity and other physical properties of the fiber surface changed or may change accordingly.