Understanding and Preventing Frictional Polymer Formation in MEMS

该奖项的研究目标是了解平衡条件下固体上吸附物分子的摩擦化学行为，并开发抑制有害摩擦化学反应产物形成的化学策略。具体目标是防止在与包含移动部件的微机电系统（MEMS）相关联的电接触和滑动接触处形成所谓的摩擦聚合物。摩擦聚合物增加了金属开关部件的接触电阻。如果在狭窄的移动间隙中产生太多，也会导致功耗问题。主要的假设是，摩擦应力或活化的固体表面上的表面反应是负责摩擦聚合物的形成。从多相催化研究中获得的表面化学知识将被用来理解和控制摩擦界面的化学反应。创新的表面分析技术的组合将被用来获得界面物种的有意义的化学信息，并找到最佳的蒸汽环境，可以确保磨损，自由操作，以及防止有害的摩擦化学反应发生在MEMS接口。在这项研究中获得的知识将有助于了解摩擦化学的基本原理，控制界面的摩擦和磨损行为在环境条件下，建立一个新的模式，为MEMS设备的扩展操作与完整的机械运动，如滑动，铰链，旋转等几个研究生和本科生的研究人员将沉浸在多学科和多尺度的研究环境，获得新的知识插入到技术应用的独特视角。该项目的研究活动和成果将用于代表性不足的群体外展，并作为课堂上的研究范例。

The research objective of this award is to understand the tribochemical behaviors of adsorbate molecules on solids under equilibrium conditions and develop chemical strategies that inhibit the formation of detrimental tribochemical reaction products. The specific goal is to prevent the formation of so-called frictional polymers at electrical and sliding contacts associated with microelectromechanical system (MEMS) containing moving parts. The frictional polymer increases contact resistance of metal switch components. It can also cause power dissipation problems if too much is produced in narrow moving gaps. The main hypothesis is that surface reactions on tribologically stressed or activated solid surfaces are responsible for frictional polymer formation. The surface chemistry knowledge obtained form heterogeneous catalysis studies will be utilized to understand and control chemical reactions at tribological interfaces. A combination of innovative surface analysis techniques will be employed to attain meaningful chemical information of the interfacial species and find the optimum vapor environments that can assure the wear-free operation as well as prevent detrimental tribochemical reactions from occurring at MEMS interfaces.The knowledge gained in this study will help understand the tribochemical fundamentals governing the interfacial friction and wear behaviors in ambient conditions and establish a new paradigm for extended operation of MEMS devices with full mechanical motions such as sliding, hinges, rotations, etc. Several graduate and undergraduate researchers will be immersed into multi-disciplinary and multi-scale research environments, gaining unique perspectives on the insertion of new knowledge into technical applications. The research activities and outcomes of the project will be utilized for underrepresented group outreach and as study examples in class.