Abstract
In this review paper the current state of research into the physical degradation of polymer films is elucidated. Modern applications of polymer films and the implication of their degradation are discussed. Recent investigations into solid interactions such as abrasion, adhesion, fatigue and other failure modes as well as plasma and photonic interactions are examined. This investigation highlights key degradation mechanisms as well as areas where controversy over these mechanisms lies, and suggests directions for future research.
Highlights
IntroductionDavid is a chartered mechanical engineer who received his MEng from the University of Birmingham in 2005 and his PhD in microengineering and microrheology from the University of Birmingham in 2010
The degradation of polymers and plastics is a vastly interesting and technologically important eld
Besides speci c surface modi cations, this is due to the lack of neighbouring molecules at the surface as compared to the bulk.[3,5]
Summary
David is a chartered mechanical engineer who received his MEng from the University of Birmingham in 2005 and his PhD in microengineering and microrheology from the University of Birmingham in 2010. His research interests lie in the areas of micro/nano-technologies and the application of multiscale metrological techniques to the characterisation of complex and novel materials, including their tribological, rheological and mechanical behaviour He has a particular interest in atomic force microscopy, interferometry, and ellipsometry, as well as Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. Besides the inherent differences they have with bulk materials, polymer lms can be modi ed to have a patterned surface chemistry useful in biological and electronic research.[10] Patterns can be generated using parallel techniques such as photolithography,[11,12] microcontact printing[13,14] and imprint lithography[15,16] and by ‘direct write’ techniques including electron beam lithography (EBL),[17] dip pen nanolithography (DPN),[18,19,20] laser ablation[21] and near eld scanning optical microscopy (NSOM).[22]. Nanoparticles of noble metals exhibit signi cantly distinct properties from their bulk counterparts.[33,34] This permits polymer composites with unique properties such as plasmon absorption,[35] near-IR photoluminescence[36] and superparamagnetism.[37]
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