Is Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) a Suitable Substrate for ALD?: A Review

Abstract

Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is a thermoplastic synthetic polymer, which displays superior characteristics such as transparency, good tensile strength, and processability. Its performance can be improved by surface engineering via the use of functionalized thin film coatings, resulting in its versatility across a host of applications including, energy harvesting, dielectric layers and water purification. Modification of the PMMA surface can be achieved by atomic layer deposition (ALD), a vapor-phase, chemical deposition technique, which permits atomic-level control. However, PMMA presents a challenge for ALD due to its lack of active surface sites, necessary for gas precursor reaction, nucleation, and subsequent growth. The purpose of this review is to discuss the research related to the employment of PMMA as either a substrate, support, or masking layer over a range of ALD thin film growth techniques, namely, thermal, plasma-enhanced, and area-selective atomic layer deposition. It also highlights applications in the selected fields of flexible electronics, biomaterials, sensing, and photocatalysis, and underscores relevant characterization techniques. Further, it concludes with a prospective view of the role of ALD in PMMA processing.

Acrylate and Methacrylate Polymers’ Applications: Second Life with Inexpensive and Sustainable Recycling Approaches

“…Al 2 O 3 , ZnO and TiO 2 thin films were deposited by ALD on the polymer surface, first improving and adding new functionalities to polymers and then opening to new opportunities for the surface engineering of high surface-area nanostructures. These PMMA hybrid nanocomposites showed wide versatility for several applications including, energy harvesting, dielectric layers and water purification [ 67 , 68 ].…”

Low-Temperature and UV Irradiation Effect on Transformation of Zirconia -MPS nBBs-Based Gels into Hybrid Transparent Dielectric Thin Films

“…For the latter, hybrid materials combining properties of the organic polymers (flexibility, elasticity, adhesion to substrate, facile processing, low leakage) with those of the inorganic compounds (high permittivity, optical and thermal properties) can simultaneously meet all the requirements of the gate dielectric for use in transparent and/or flexible electronics [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Hybrid insulators with high dielectric constant, “high-k”, directly foster the development of TFTs and circuits with improved high-frequency behavior and area efficiency.…”

“…When both organic and inorganic components have dielectric properties, value of the bandwidth energy and consequently the dielectric properties of a hybrid material can be tailored by controlling ratio and bonds between components. According to the type of organic-inorganic interactions, hybrid materials are type I and II, with weak (Van der Waals, hydrogen) and strong (covalent and ionic) interactions, respectively [ 4 ]. Hybrid materials may consist of alternating layers of organic compound and inorganic compound (multilayer hybrid structure) or the two components (organic and inorganic ones) covalently linked to each other, usually by means of a coupling agent [ 5 ], and dispersed at nanometer or molecular scale within the same layer [ 1 ].…”

Effects of Simulated Solar Wind on Polymethyl Methacrylate Thin Film

“…Moreover, PMMA is simple to synthesize and can be used to produce polymeric-based nanocomposites possessing different characteristics and applications based on the used nanofiller [20][21][22][23][24]. PMMA is already widely used in form of thin film for the production of different types of electrical and optical devices [25,26], the preparation of superhydrophobic and antireflective glass surfaces [27], as well as the preparation of protective coatings when mixed with inorganic fillers [28], thanks to the ability to tailor its properties depending on the synthesis method and the surface modifications [29].…”