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Synthesis and Characterization of Nanocomposite Thin Films for MEMS Applications

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Abstract

Reinforcement with nanotubes, nanofibers, and nanoparticles is an attractive option for enhancing the properties of micromachined polymeric structures employed in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Calculations based on Eshelby-Mori-Tanaka micromechanics predict that the elastic modulus and wave velocity can be increased by over an order of magnitude by reinforcing polymers with aligned, dispersed, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT). Motivated by this prediction, we measured the elastic moduli of polyimide films reinforced with SWNT at volume fractions ranging from 0 to 10%. For dilute composites, the elastic modulus increased with increasing nanotube loading from 2.5 GPa for the neat polymer to 3.5 GPa for a nanocomposite containing 0.5 vol% of SWNT. However, with further increase in the nanotube content, the elastic modulus remained essentially constant even for high loadings of 10 vol% of SWNT. In addition, significantly different elastic moduli were measured for specimens containing the same volume fraction (0.5 vol%) of SWNT produced by two different processes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Kaushik Das, Rosemary Le Faive, Pascal Hubert & Srikar Vengallatore

  2. National Institute of Aerospace, Hampton, VA, USA

    Cheol Park

  3. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    Cheol Park

Authors
  1. Kaushik Das
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  2. Cheol Park
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  3. Rosemary Le Faive
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  4. Pascal Hubert
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  5. Srikar Vengallatore
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Das, K., Park, C., Faive, R.L. et al. Synthesis and Characterization of Nanocomposite Thin Films for MEMS Applications. MRS Online Proceedings Library 1222, 506 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-1222-DD05-06

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-1222-DD05-06

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