Collaborative Research: Fundamentals of Block Copolymer Ordering During Cold Zone Annealing

合作研究：冷区退火过程中嵌段共聚物有序化的基础知识

• 批准号: 1006421
• 负责人: Alamgir Karim
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: University of Akron
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-06-01 至 2014-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1006421&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Fundamentals; Block; Copolymer

TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Non-equilibrium processing of block copolymer (BCP) thin films via thermal zone-annealing promises to overcome significant challenges of traditional thermodynamic approaches to create defect free and long-range ordered functional films for high-tech applications. Thermal zone annealing involves passing a moving thermal temperature gradient across the plane of the film to locally melt and solidify the film. Recently a low temperature "cold zone annealing" or CZA version was demonstrated with promising results. Since most block copolymers will degrade at significantly high temperatures above melt point, CZA is broadly applicable to many block copolymer systems. Results for CZA on glassy cylinder forming PS-PMMA block copolymer films indicate up to an order of magnitude in enhanced ordering kinetics and alignment. Based on these promising results, key molecular mechanisms underlying the CZA driven ordering phenomena for BCPs will be examined at a fundamental level. This research will investigate these fundamental aspects of CZA using different block copolymers systems to illuminate general governing principles of CZA induced ordering of block copolymer thin film systems. An important component of the research plan relies on an Activation Energy (Ea) analysis of ordering of block copolymer in CZA from grain size growth or correlation length development as a function of CZA parameters of velocity (V), maximum temperature (Tmax), and gradient magnitude (G) and the BCP molecular weight (Mw) and block-block interaction parameter. In addition, the origin and mechanism of orientational alignment will be elucidated using both patterned and non-patterned substrates.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:Block copolymer materials have been the focus over the last decade as potential solutions to a wide range of emerging nanotechnology needs from functional photonic materials to terabit density data storage devices. The major limitation to the use of these materials, however, is the presence of defects. This proposal will seek to understand the fundamentals of a new annealing platform that significantly reduces the barrier to defect removal. These fundamentals could lead to new processing techniques allowing advances in many industrially relevant fields. The PI's students will get experience at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Lab allowing for exposure and training at national research facilities. An active component of the research is aimed at involving students at adjacent high-schools through the Akron Early College High School program as well the Post Secondary Distance Learning Opportunities (PSEOP) and through a new program between St. Vincent St. Mary's High School in Akron and the College of Polymer Science and Engineering involving both students and teachers. In addition, the research will involve minority and women participation in their research program and both the University of Akron and University of Arkansas at Little Rock are both well known for their high ratio of minorities and women in research programs. In addition, this research project at UALR would incorporate secondary high school science teachers during the summer through a program known as STRIVE. The exposure of the teachers to this research including synthesis and nanocharacterization would improve their science skills as well as their understanding of the field making them better educators.

技术摘要：通过热区的隔离膜对块共聚物（BCP）薄膜的非平衡处理有望克服传统热力学方法的重大挑战，以创建缺陷和长期远程有序的功能薄膜，用于高科技应用。 热区退火涉及将移动的热温梯度跨越膜的平面，以局部融化并固化膜。 最近，证明了低温“冷区退火”或CZA版本，结果令人鼓舞。 由于大多数块共聚物将在熔体点以上的高温下降解，因此CZA广泛适用于许多块共聚物系统。 CZA在形成PS-PMMA块共聚物膜上的玻璃缸上的结果表明，在增强的有序动力学和对齐方面的数量级。 基于这些有希望的结果，将在基本水平上检查CZA驱动的有序现象的关键分子机制。 这项研究将使用不同的块共聚物系统调查CZA的这些基本方面，以阐明CZA诱导的块共聚物薄膜系统的总体管理原理。 研究计划的一个重要组成部分取决于激活能量（EA）分析CZA中块共聚物的排序分析，该分析是晶粒尺寸的生长或相关长度的发育与速度（V）的CZA参数的函数，最高温度（TMAX）和梯度幅度（G）以及BCP分子量（MW）和块块块链接互动参数。 此外，使用图案化和非图案底物阐明了定向对齐的起源和机制。Non-technical摘要：块共聚物材料在过去十年中一直是对各种新兴纳米技术需求的潜在解决方案的重点，从而从功能性光通电材料中介绍了Terabit Mentibit Mentibit Leady数据存储设备。 但是，使用这些材料的主要局限性是缺陷的存在。 该建议将寻求了解新退火平台的基本面，该平台大大降低了删除缺陷的障碍。 这些基本原理可能会导致新的处理技术，从而在许多工业相关领域的进步。 PI的学生将在Argonne National Lab的高级光子源获得经验，以便在国家研究设施进行接触和培训。该研究的一个积极组成部分旨在通过阿克伦早期大学高中计划以及二级远程学习机会（PSEOP）以及通过阿克伦的圣文森特圣玛丽高中与涉及学生和老师的Polymer科学与工程学院之间的新计划，参与邻近高中的学生。此外，这项研究将涉及少数民族和妇女参与其研究计划，阿克伦大学和阿肯色大学小石城都以其在研究计划中的少数群体和妇女的比例高。 此外，UALR的该研究项目将在夏季通过一个名为“努力”的计划在夏季结合中学科学老师。教师接触这项研究，包括合成和纳米饰面，将提高他们的科学技能以及对领域的理解，从而使他们成为更好的教育者。