Fabrication of polymer films on liquid substrates via initiated chemical vapor deposition: controlling morphology and composition

2015-07-17The initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) process is a vapor phase method used to deposit functional polymer coatings. The technique is typically used to coat solid substrates such as silicon, fibers, and microfluidic devices. We were recently the first group to introduce low vapor pressure liquids, including ionic liquids and silicone oil, into the iCVD process. We found that the deposition onto liquids can result in the formation of either polymer films or polymer particles at the liquid—vapor interface depending on the spreading coefficient of the polymer on the liquid. In addition, precursors that are soluble in the liquid substrate can absorb into the bulk and polymerize resulting in the formation of polymer—liquid gels, layered polymer composite films, and polymer shells. The overall goal of this thesis is to elucidate the growth mechanism of polymer films on liquid substrates and understand how process parameters can be controlled to tailor the morphology and composition of functional polymer materials