SBIR Phase I: 'Sensorless' Characterization of Coatings in the Deposited State

该小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目建议开发一种能够表征涂层表面积和表面孔径分布的仪器系统，而无需将涂层从其基材上去除或使用特定的沉积基材。 现有技术的仪器不能准确地表征沉积涂层的表面和孔径分布。 拟议的仪器将为涂层和表面的表征提供使能技术，拟议的表面表征仪器代表了先进涂层和膜的制造商和用户的突破性能力。 与其依赖于大量原型材料的耗时的经验性试验，还可以使用具有成本效益的小样品快速测定表面积和孔径分布。涂料和膜工业代表着未来十年超过40亿美元的市场。 使工业能够准确，快速和廉价地表征涂层和膜的重要表面特征的仪器将广泛适用于设备的质量控制。 该仪器系统适用于但不限于半导体加工、薄膜开发、光学涂层以及制药和医疗产品。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project proposes to develop an instrumentation system capable of characterizing the surface area and surface pore size distribution of coatings without the need for removing the coating from its substrate or using specific deposition substrates. Current state of the art instrumentation is incapable of accurately characterizing the surface and pore size distributions of deposited coatings. The proposed instrument would provide enabling technology for the characterization of coatings and surfaces.The proposed surface characterization instrument represents a breakthrough capability for manufacturers and users of advanced coatings and membranes. Instead of relying on time-consuming empirical trials of large volumes of prototype material, rapid determination of surface area and pore size distribution will be possible with cost-effective small samples.The coatings and membrane industries represent markets exceeding $4 billion in the next decade. Instrumentation that would enable industry to accurately, quickly and inexpensively characterize the vital surface features of coatings and membranes will be widely applicable for quality control of devices. This instrument system is applicable, but not limited, to semiconductor processing, membrane development, optical coatings and pharmaceutical and medical products.