Is Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) a Suitable Substrate for ALD?: A Review.

Marta Adriana Forte,Ricardo Manuel Silva,Carlos José Tavares,Rui Ferreira E Silva

doi:10.3390/polym13081346

Marta Adriana Forte, Ricardo Manuel Silva + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13081346

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Journal: Polymers	Publication Date: Apr 20, 2021
Citations: 24	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Minho, University of Aveiro

Abstract

Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is a thermoplastic synthetic polymer, which displays superior characteristics such as transparency, good tensile strength, and processability. Its performance can be improved by surface engineering via the use of functionalized thin film coatings, resulting in its versatility across a host of applications including, energy harvesting, dielectric layers and water purification. Modification of the PMMA surface can be achieved by atomic layer deposition (ALD), a vapor-phase, chemical deposition technique, which permits atomic-level control. However, PMMA presents a challenge for ALD due to its lack of active surface sites, necessary for gas precursor reaction, nucleation, and subsequent growth. The purpose of this review is to discuss the research related to the employment of PMMA as either a substrate, support, or masking layer over a range of ALD thin film growth techniques, namely, thermal, plasma-enhanced, and area-selective atomic layer deposition. It also highlights applications in the selected fields of flexible electronics, biomaterials, sensing, and photocatalysis, and underscores relevant characterization techniques. Further, it concludes with a prospective view of the role of ALD in PMMA processing.

Highlights

Poly (PMMA) is a transparent thermoplastic synthesized by emulsion polymerization, solution polymerization, and bulk polymerization from the MMA monomer [1]
This article is a review focused on atomic layer deposition (ALD) studies aiming at PMMA surface modification with metal or metal oxide coatings, where PMMA is used as substrate as well as masking layer in nanofabrication-based patterning methods
The deposition of these coatings is associated with several subcategories of ALD, such as thermal atomic layer deposition (T-ALD), plasma atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD), and area-selective atomic layer deposition (AS-ALD), referred to as selective-area ALD [17]

Summary

Introduction

(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is a transparent thermoplastic synthesized by emulsion polymerization, solution polymerization, and bulk polymerization from the MMA monomer [1] This acrylate has high resistance to sunlight exposure and good optical properties, widely used to substitute and enhance the glass performance [2]. This article is a review focused on ALD studies aiming at PMMA surface modification with metal or metal oxide coatings, where PMMA is used as substrate as well as masking layer (e.g., self-assembled monolayers, SAM) in nanofabrication-based patterning methods. The deposition of these coatings is associated with several subcategories of ALD, such as thermal atomic layer deposition (T-ALD), plasma atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD), and area-selective atomic layer deposition (AS-ALD), referred to as selective-area ALD [17]

Brief History of Atomic Layer Deposition

Nucleation and Growth Studies

ALD Coatings on PMMA Aided by Seed Layer

ALD on Di-Block Copolymer Masks

Findings

Summary and Prospective