Organic chemistry on polyimide surfaces. Characterization of prototypical surface reactions

Abstract

Controlled functionalization of organic polymer surfaces by chemical means has been achieved for a number of polymers, most notably polyethylene and several fluoropolymers. Such achievements are of interest as a complement to more aggressive plasma treatments because they provide surfaces whose chemical composition is more easily understood than those arising from the latter. This understanding then allows organic chemists to adapt known reactions from solution chemistry to the unique surface environment, with the eventual goal of fabrication of surface structures unavailable by other means. Because of its importance for microelectronic packaging applications, the authors have chosen to study polyimide as a substrate for organic surface modification.