Understanding and Preventing Frictional Polymer Formation in MEMS

该奖项的研究目标是了解吸附分子在平衡条件下在固体上的摩擦化学行为，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电子机械系统(MEMS)相关的电气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过多的气体，也会导致功率消耗问题。主要的假设是摩擦应力或激活的固体表面上的表面反应是摩擦聚合物形成的原因。从多相催化研究中获得的表面化学知识将被用于理解和控制摩擦学界面上的化学反应。结合创新的表面分析技术，将获得界面物种的有意义的化学信息，并找到最佳的气体环境，以确保无磨损的操作，并防止有害的摩擦化学反应在MEMS界面上发生。这项研究获得的知识将有助于了解控制界面摩擦和磨损行为的摩擦化学基础，并为具有滑动、铰链、旋转等全机械运动的MEMS器件的扩展操作建立新的范例。几名研究生和本科生研究人员将沉浸在多学科和多尺度的研究环境中，在将新知识应用于技术应用方面获得独特的视角。该项目的研究活动和成果将用于代表性不足的团体推广活动，并在课堂上作为学习范例。

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.