Nano-Laminated Metal Oxides/Polyamide Stretchable Moisture- And Gas-Barrier Films by Integrated Atomic/Molecular Layer Deposition
Journal
ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
Journal Volume
13
Journal Issue
23
Pages
27392-27399
Date Issued
2021
Author(s)
Abstract
Stretchable barrier films capable of maintaining high levels of moisture- and gas-barrier performance under significant mechanical strains are a critical component for wearable/flexible electronics and other devices, but realization of stretchable moisture-barrier films has not been possible due to the inevitable issues of strain-induced rupturing compounded with moisture-induced swelling of a stretched barrier film. This study demonstrates nanolaminated polymer/metal oxide stretchable moisture-barrier films fabricated by a novel molecular layer deposition (MLD) process of polyamide-2,3 (PA-2,3) integrated with atomic layer deposition (ALD) metal oxide processes and an in situ surface-functionalization technique. The PA-2,3 surface upon in situ functionalization with H2O2 vapor offers adequate surface chemisorption sites for rapid nucleation of ALD oxides, minimizing defects at the PA-2,3/oxide interfaces in the nanolaminates. The integrated ALD/MLD process enables facile deposition and precise structural control of many-layered oxide/PA-2,3 nanolaminates, where the large number of PA-2,3 nanolayers provide high tolerance against mechanical stretching and flexing thanks to their defect-decoupling and stress-buffering functions, while the large number of oxide nanolayers shield against swelling by moisture. Specifically, a nanolaminate with 72 pairs of alternating 2 nm (5 cycles) PA-2,3 and 0.5 nm HfO2 (five cycles) maintains its water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) at the 10-6 g/m2 day level upon 10% tensile stretching and 2 mm-radius bending, a significant breakthrough for the wearable/flexible electronics technologies. ? 2021 American Chemical Society.
Subjects
atomic layer deposition
molecular layer deposition
nanolaminates
stretchable gas barriers
thin-film encapsulation
Atomic layer deposition
Hafnium oxides
Hydrogen peroxide
Metals
Moisture
Oxide films
Polymer films
Strain
Structural dynamics
Wearable technology
Electronics technology
Functionalizations
Mechanical stretching
Molecular layer depositions (MLD)
Structural control
Surface chemisorption
Surface Functionalization
Water vapor transmission rate
Gas permeable membranes
SDGs
Type
journal article