Papers by Keyword: Contact Angle Measurement

Abstract: Dammar plant resin is a local natural resin that can be bled from Dipterocaupacea sp of tree. It can be found abundantly in Malaysia’s tropical forest especially in Sarawak. Dammar and Titanium Dioxide was mixed in a various wt% to produce Dammar-modified Titanium Dioxide coating system. The modified coating systems were then spin-coated onto Aluminium Q-panel as the substrate. Coated Q-panels were left to cure at room temperature. The curing time was evaluated using dust free stage. The addition of Titanium Dioxide into the coating system fastens the curing time taken for the coated Q-panel to be cure. It only took about 11-12 minutes to dry compared to the coating system before the addition of Titanium Dioxide where a quite long duration required, 32 minutes. Contact angle measurement was also carried out in order to determine the wettability of the coating system. The surface coated with dammar-modified titanium dioxide found to be hydrophobic where a quite large contact angle obtained for the sample with 3 wt% of Titanium Dioxide (PDT3). The water droplets actually rest on the coating surface without wetting the surface. Water absorption test was done to strengthen the contact angle results where coated substrate was soaked into distilled water for 24 hours and being weighed before and after soaking. The difference of before and after soaking weigh showed that the coating surface does not absorb that much water where only approximately 0.02% of water being absorbed by the coating system for 3 wt%. It proved that the coating systems applied are hydrophobic.

Abstract: The integration of porous ultra low dielectric constant materials (ULK) for isolation within the interconnect system of integrated circuits is a promising approach to reduce RC-delays and crosstalk due to shrinking feature sizes [1]. Actually the focus is on porous CVD-SiCOH materials, which consist of a Si-O-Si backbone and organic species (e.g. CH₃) to lower polarizability and prevent moisture uptake to remarkably decrease the k-value [2]. The integration of porous low-k materials is very challenging, especially looking at patterning, resist stripping and etch residue removal, where commonly plasma processing has been applied. But plasma processing of ULK materials, especially using oxygen plasmas, is known to degrade electrical, optical and structural material properties by removing carbon from the film and densification of the surface near areas of the ULK [5]. Carbon depletion may also lead to the incorporation of-OH groups, which easily form silanols and therefore increase moisture absorption and k-values [2]. Besides the development of nondamaging plasma processes, wet cleaning is a promising alternative to avoid ULK damage while removing organic plasma etch residues. Additionally wet cleaning steps are always necessary to remove inorganic residues, which do not form volatile reaction products and can therefore not be removed by plasma processing.

Abstract: The high reactivity of the free silicon surface and its consequence: the “omnipresent” native silicon dioxide hinders the interface engineering in many processing steps of IC technology on atomic level. Methods known to eliminate the native oxide need in most cases vacuum processing. They frequently deteriorate the atomic flatness of the silicon. Hydrogen passivation by a proper DHF (diluted HF) treatment removes the native silicon oxide without roughening the surface while simultaneously maintains a “quasi oxide free” surface in a neutral or vacuum ambient for short time. Under such circumstances the last thermal desorption peak of hydrogen is activated at around 480-500°C where the free silicon surface suddenly becomes extremely reactive. In this study we show that deuterium passivation is a promising technology. Due to the fact that deuterium adsorbs more strongly on Si surface than hydrogen even at room temperature, deuterium passivation does not need vacuum processing and it ensures a robust process flow.

Abstract: The effect of anodic surface treatment on the polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibers surface properties and the mechanical behavior of the resulting carbon fiber-polymer composites has been studied in terms of the contact angle measurements of fibers and the fracture toughness of composites. Results from contact angle measurements revealed that the angle of electrolyte solution largely decreases with increasing current densities of treatments up to 0.4-0.5 A m-2. The results obtained from the evolution of KIC with flexure of the composites as a function of electric current density shown that the KIC of the composite continually increases with increased current densities of the treatments up to 0.5 A m-2, and a maximum strength value is found about 294 MPa cm1/2 at the anodic treatment of 0.5 A m-2. It can be concluded that the anodic surface treatment is largely influenced in the fiber surface nature and the mechanical interfacial properties between the carbon fiber and epoxy resin matrix of the resulting composites, i.e., the fracture toughness. We suggest that good wetting plays an important role in improving the degree of adhesion at interfaces between fibers and matrices of the resulting composites.

Abstract: Stents are special metallic or polymer endoprostheses of meshed structure and tube shape. Their function is to prevent restenosis in the arteries. Stents can be coated or uncoated. In the expanded part of the artery the chance of restenosis is bigger even without a stent so it is practical to coat the stents. The aim of this work is to present the results of the coating experiments made on the coronary stents. Three types of commercially available polyurethanes were used for these experiments. The coatings were produced by a dipping method. Electro-polished and non-electro-polished metallic sheets and stents were used for these experiments. Contact angle measurements were done to examine the wetting properties of the three different polyurethane coatings. The quality and the changing of the coatings were examined by different methods (stereomicroscope, scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectrometry).