AVS 49th International Symposium
    Organic Films and Devices Tuesday Sessions
       Session OF+SS+EL+SC-TuA

Paper OF+SS+EL+SC-TuA1
Reactivity of Polymers Containing Nitrogen and Oxygen Functional Groups with Vapor Phase Metal Atoms

Tuesday, November 5, 2002, 2:00 pm, Room C-102

Session: Organic Molecular Films
Presenter: A.J. Wagner, The Johns Hopkins University
Authors: A.J. Wagner, The Johns Hopkins University
G. Wolfe, The Johns Hopkins University
D.H. Fairbrother, The Johns Hopkins University
Correspondent: Click to Email
The surface reactions during the initial stages of polymer metallization are crucial in determining bonding and adhesive characteristics with native and plasma treated polymers. In this study, we have compared the reactivity of different nitrogen and oxygen containing functional groups with a variety of vapor phase metal atoms during the initial stages of metallization. The reactivity of different nitrogen containing functional groups during the vapor deposition of Ti, Fe, Ni, Cu and Au on Nylon 6, containing an amide group (-NH-(C=O)-and nitrogen implanted Poly(ethylene) (N-PE) containing a mixture of C-N, C=N and CN groups was studied. In addition, the reactivity of vapor phase metal atoms with specific functional groups was also investigated using a nitrile (CN) terminated self-assembled monolayer (CN-SAM). For each of the metals studied except Au reaction with Nylon 6 and N-PE resulted in the formation of the metal-nitride (MN), although the extent of reaction increased in the order Ti > Fe > Ni ~ Cu, scaling with the M-N bond strength. Experimental evidence, however, indicated that the different nitrogen containing functional groups present in the nitrogen-modified PE were not equally reactive. Ti and Fe also reacted with the C=O functional group in Nylon 6 to form their respective oxides while Cu, Ni and Au were unreactive with the C=O functional group. Metal nitride formation was also observed during evaporation of Ti and Fe on the CN-SAM although Cu and Au were unreactive towards the CN functional group. In contrast, metal carbide production was only evidenced during reactions with Ti. Results from this investigation will be interpreted in terms of the relative bond strengths associated with specific functional groups within the polymer and potential product species (e.g. metal oxide, nitrides).