Atmospheric pressure synthesis of photoluminescent hybrid materials by sequential organometallic vapor infiltration into polyethylene terephthalate fibers

Journal Article · Wed Jan 28 04:00:00 EST 2015 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4906406· OSTI ID:22413010

Akyildiz, Halil I. ^[1]; Mousa, Moataz Bellah M. ^[2]

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1. Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States)
2. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States)

Exposing a polymer to sequential organometallic vapor infiltration (SVI) under low pressure conditions can significantly modify the polymer's chemical, mechanical, and optical properties. We demonstrate that SVI of trimethylaluminum into polyethylene terephthalate (PET) can also proceed readily at atmospheric pressure, and at 60 °C the extent of reaction determined by mass uptake is independent of pressure between 2.5 Torr and 760 Torr. At 120 °C, however, the mass gain is 50% larger at 2.5 Torr relative to that at 760 Torr, indicating that the precursor diffusion in the chamber and fiber matrix decreases at higher source pressure. Mass gain decreases, in general, as the SVI process temperature increases both at 2.5 Torr and 760 Torr attributed to the faster reaction kinetics forming a barrier layer, which prevents further diffusion of the reactive species. The resulting PET/Al-O{sub x} product shows high photoluminescence compared to untreated fibers. A physical mask on the polymer during infiltration at 760 Torr is replicated in the underlying polymer, producing an image in the polymer that is visible under UV illumination. Because of the reduced precursor diffusivity during exposure at 760 Torr, the image shows improved resolution compared to SVI performed under typical 2.5 Torr conditions.

• OSTI ID: 22413010
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 117; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DEPLETION LAYER
DIFFUSION
FIBERS
ILLUMINANCE
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
ORGANOMETALLIC COMPOUNDS
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
POLYESTERS
POSITRON COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY
PRECURSOR
REACTION KINETICS
SYNTHESIS
VAPORS