Polyimides (PIs) have a wide range of industrial and scientific applications due to their excellent thermal and mechanical stability and chemical resistance. Their response to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is of further interest in high-value applications such as spacecraft technology and electronics packaging. In this work, we investigated the effect of 172-nm UV xenon excimer lamp irradiation on samples of pyromellitimido-oxydianiline (PMDA-ODA) commercial films in the absence of oxygen. The average irradiance received at the sample position was 90 mW/cm2, and the total radiation dosage varied from 0 to 64 J/cm2. X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy, time-of-flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry, atomic force microscopy, and contact angle measurements were used to characterize the effect. Calculated UV-visible spectroscopy absorption spectra were obtained using the ZINDO//B3LYP/3-21G method to give an indication of which orbitals are involved in the transitions near 172 nm. The reactivity of the different UV-treated PI samples toward nitrogen-borne heptafluorodecene vapor was then investigated using the above techniques. Grafting reactions occurred on the surface of the photochemically activated polymer. This study explored the potential for modification of PI surfaces using UV-light-assisted grafting to impart valuable functionalities.
DuPont. Kapton plays important role on Rosetta Mission 2015. Delaware, USA, 2015.
4.
DuPont. NASA’swebb telescope sunshield made with Dupont Kapton polyimide film. Delaware, USA, 2013.
5.
LinYSLiuHMChenHT. Surface modification of polyimide films by argon plasma for copper metallization on microelectronic flex substrates. J Appl Polym Sci2006; 99: 744–755.
6.
ChoSJShresthaSPBooJH. Surface treatment for Cu metallization on polyimide film by atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge plasma system. Technol Rev2011; 11: S135–S139.
7.
PlisEAEngelhartDPCooperR, et al.Review of radiation-induced effects in polyimide. Appl Sci2019; 9: 1999.
8.
HillDJTRasoulFAForsytheJS, et al.Effect of simulated low-earth-orbit radiation on polyimides (UV degradation study). J Appl Polym Sci1995; 58: 1847–1856.
9.
WuJMiyaharaAKhanAR, et al.Effects of ultraviolet irradiation and atomic oxygen erosion on total electron emission yield of polyimide. IEEE Trans Plasma Sci2014; 42: 191–198.
10.
RasmussenKGramppGvan EesbeekM, et al.Thermal and UV degradation of polymer films studied in situ with ESR spectroscopy. Acs Appl Mater Interfaces2010; 2: 1879–1883.
11.
KogelschatzU. Ultraviolet excimer radiation from nonequilibrium gas discharges and its application in photophysics, photochemistry and photobiology. J Opt Technol2012; 79: 484–493.
12.
LomaevMISosninEATarasenkoVF. Excilamps and their applications. Prog Quant Electron2012; 36: 51–97.
ZhuZMKelleyMJ. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) surface modification by deep UV (172 nm) irradiation. Appl Surf Sci2004; 236: 416–425.
16.
QuCHuJLiuX, et al.Morphology and mechanical properties of polyimide films: the effects of UV irradiation on microscale surface. Materials2017; 10: 1329.
17.
HiraokaHLazareS. Surface modifications of Kapton and cured polyimide films by ARF excimer laser – applications to imagewise wetting and metallization. Appl Surf Sci1990; 46: 264–271.
18.
ParkSJLeeEJKwonSH. Influence of surface treatment of polyimide film on adhesion enhancement between polyimide and metal films. B KorChem Soc2007; 28: 188–192.
19.
WolanyDFladungTDudaL, et al.Combined ToF-SIMS/XPS study of plasma modification and metallization of polyimide. Surf Interf Anal1999; 27: 609–617.
20.
MyersJNChenZ. Surface plasma treatment effects on the molecular structure at polyimide/air and buried polyimide/epoxy interfaces. Chinese Chem Lett2015; 26: 449–454.
21.
PengSLiLJLiW, et al.Surface modification of polyimide film by dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure. Plasm Sci Technol2016; 18: 337–341.
22.
ZhangJYWindallGBoydIW. UV curing of optical fibre coatings using excimer lamps. Appl Surf Sci2002; 186: 568–572.
23.
KondoTWatanabeRShimoyamaY, et al.Effect of reactive oxygen species generated with ultraviolet lamp and plasma on polyimide surface modification. Surf and Interf Anal2017; 49: 1069–1077.
24.
ChenWZhangJYFangQ, et al.Surface modification of polyimide with excimer UV radiation at wavelength of 126 nm. Thin Solid Films2004; 453: 3–6.
25.
ZhangJYEsromHKogelschatzU, et al.Large-area photochemical dry etching of polyimide with excimer UV lamps. Appl Surf Sci1993; 69: 299–304.
26.
TanakaTBandoKKMatsubayashiN, et al.Comparison of photo-degradation of polyimide film by UV irradiation in air and in vacuum. Physica Scripta2005; T115: 412–414.
27.
RahnamounAvan DuinACT.Reactive molecular dynamics simulation on the disintegration of kapton, POSS polyimide, amorphous silica, and Teflon during atomic oxygen impact using the ReaxFF reactive force-field method. J Phys Chem A2014; 118: 2780–2787.
28.
BriggsD. Surface analysis of polymers by XPS and static SIMS. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998.
29.
VickermanJCGilmoreIS. Surface analysis: the principal techniques, 2nd ed. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2009.
30.
ZhuZMKelleyMJ.Effect of deep UV (172 nm) irradiation on PET: ToF/SIMS analysis. Appl Surf Sci2004; 231: 302–308.
31.
BriggsDBrownAVickermanJC. Handbook of static secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Hoboken: John Wiley and Sons, 1989.
32.
ShimamuraHNakamuraT. Investigation of degradation mechanisms in mechanical properties of polyimide films exposed to a low earth orbit environment. Polym Degrad & Stabil2010; 95: 21–33.
33.
ChouKSChenXYLaiIH. Surface roughness on adhesion of silver colloids to a polyimide substrate. J Adhesion2016; 92: 429–439.
34.
FaragoFTCurtisMA. Handbook of dimensional measurement. Norwalk: Industrial Press, 1994.
35.
BusscherHJVanpeltAWJDeboerP, et al.The effect of surface roughening of polymers on measured contact angles of liquids. Colloid Surface1984; 9: 319–331.
36.
DuQFLiuJGGuoLB, et al.Tailoring the surface wettability of polyimide by UV laser direct texturing in different gas atmospheres. Mater Design2016; 104: 134–140.
37.
LeastBTWillisDA. Modification of polyimide wetting properties by laser ablated conical microstructures. Appl Surf Sci2013; 273: 1–11.
38.
GuHYSongLXZhangJL, et al.Superhydrophobic polyimide via ultraviolet photooxidation: the evolution of surface morphology and hydrophobicity under different ultraviolet intensities. J Nanomaterials2015; 8: 1–7.
39.
GotohKHayashiyaM. Improvement of serviceability properties of synthetic textile fabrics using 172 nm ultraviolet excimer lamp. Text Res J2008; 78: 37–44.
40.
GotohKNakataYTagawaM, et al.Wettability of ultraviolet excimer-exposed PE, PI and PTFE films determined by the contact angle measurements. Colloids Surf A: Physicochem Eng Asp2003; 224: 165–173.
41.
ZernerMC.Semiempirical molecular orbital methods. New York: VCH Publishers, 1991.
42.
LiuKSTianYJiangL.Bio-inspired superoleophobic and smart materials: Design, fabrication, and application. Prog Mater Sci2013; 58: 503–564.
43.
GongGMWuJTLiuJG, et al.Bio-inspired adhesive superhydrophobic polyimide mat with high thermal stability. J Mater Chem2012; 22: 8257–8262.
