Morphology of Vapor Deposited Polyimides Containing Copper Phthalocyanine

Abstract

A vapor deposition polymerization technique is applied to grow composite films containing polyimide and copper phthalocyanine (CuPc). Specifically, 4,4(-oxydianiline and 3,3(,4,4(-biphenyl tetracarboxylic dianhydride are co-evaporated in the presence of CuPc. Spectroscopy experiments confirm the formation of polyimide segments and suggest that embedded CuPc molecules have less mobility than pure CuPc films. Electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies show that the majority of CuPc initially assumes an amorphous phase. Upon curing, partial crystallization of CuPc occurs, forming small crystals (a phase) that are suspended in a polyimide matrix. These crystals exhibit enhanced thermal stability compared to pure vapor-deposited CuPc.

Monomer Crystallization During Vapor‐Deposition Polymerization

“…Vapor-deposition Polymerization: The vacuum chamber and shuttered deposition system have been previously described in detail [12]. A schematic of the system is shown in Figure 10.…”

“…[10,11] We recently studied crystallization of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) during simultaneous VDP and subsequent curing of poly(amic acid). [12] As-deposited films showed predominantly CuPc-rich amorphous domains. Thermal curing to form polyimide resulted in small CuPc crystallites (a phase) that were embedded in the polymer film, and these crystals exhibited somewhat higher stability than vapor-grown CuPc.…”

Chemical Vapor Deposition of Conformal, Functional, and Responsive Polymer Films

“…A similar method, using cyclophanes with an organogermanium bridge, was used to obtain poly( p ‐xylylene) films with incorporated Ge crystals after thermal treatment to break the organogermanium bond 496. Curing of VDP poly(imide) films embedded with copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) resulted in small crystals of CuPc 502. These crystals demonstrated enhanced thermal stability in comparison to vapor‐deposited pure CuPc.…”

Spectroscopic investigation of different concentrations of the vapour deposited copper phthalocyanine as a “guest” in polyimide matrix

“…The development of chemistry of polymer thin films is currently subject of intense fundamental and technological interest. One of the achievements is reactions of the solid state polymerisation, when the starting precursors are deposited on the substrate [5]. A typical example for solid state reaction is the synthesis of the polyimide by vapour deposition of the precursors ODA (4,4 0 -oxidianiline) and PMDA (pyromellitic dianhydride) and next thermal treated of nanosized film to imidization.…”

“…They are combination of matrix, such as PI and embedded nanosized particles of different metals, salts or dyes, as the ''guest'' [1,2]. The combination of PI matrix with embedded ''guest'' such phthalocyanines offer wide way for desired changes of the optical, electrical properties of the nanocomposite films [5,12,13]. Phthalocyanines are aromatic organic compounds having semiconducting properties.…”