Collaborative Research: Nanoimprinting of High Aspect-Ratio Nanostructures in Thermoplastic Polymers Using Metallic Glass Roller Molds

合作研究：使用金属玻璃辊模具在热塑性聚合物中进行高纵横比纳米结构的纳米压印

• 批准号: 1927651
• 负责人: Donggang Yao
• 金额: $ 25.91万
• 依托单位: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-09-01 至 2023-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1927651&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Nanoimprinting; Aspect; Ratio

This collaborative research team uses a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the feasibility of scalable imprinting of thermoplastic polymer film surfaces enabled by the use of metallic glass roller molds. Thermoplastic polymers with high aspect-ratio nanoscale features exhibit versatile properties and are highly desired in numerous applications such as solar cells, transparent conducting films and photonic crystals. Manufacturing such films with nanoscale features using roll-to-roll (R2R) nanoimprinting has been developed for reactive polymers but has been a challenge for thermoplastic polymers because they are typically over 100 times more viscous and require significantly higher imprinting pressure. Hence, there emerges a need for the development of a precise and durable roller mold for thermoplastic nanoimprinting. This collaborative project involves two institutions, one leading investigations into the design and roll-to-roll manufacture of the high aspect-ratio nanostructures in thermoplastic substrates, the other directing efforts in characterization and modeling. Results from this research forms the scientific basis for successful transfer of the novel manufacturing technology to industry and enables economic production of nanodevices for applications in energy, healthcare, automotive, and telecommunication. The project further enriches curriculum development, particularly in the interdisciplinary area of nanomanufacturing, and broadens the participation of women and underrepresented groups in research. This award supports fundamental research to explore a viable nanomanufacturing process using a mechanically robust metallic glass roller mold for continuous production of high-fidelity thermoplastic nanostructures. Metallic glasses are a class of high strength metals that can be processed like plastics in their supercooled liquid state into large-scale geometries with feature sizes down to 10 nm. The project involves several tasks. (1) Investigations into the transfer of planar nanostructures onto the curved surface of metallic glass coated roller molds. (2) Identification of the thermomechanical processing window for roller nanoimprinting of metallic glasses without crystallization. (3) Utilization of proximity heating to enhance the replication precision. (4) Characterization of the replication fidelity of the imprinted nanostructures. (5) Performance of numerical modeling of roll-to-roll based nanomanufacturing processes. Fundamental contributions are anticipated regarding the nanoscale dynamics of metallic glasses and thermoplastic polymers during continuous nanoimprinting. Particularly, the research advances the understanding of (a) rheology and processing-microstructure-property relations in metallic glasses and thermoplastic polymers at nanoscale, (b) crystallization of metallic glasses in the supercooled liquid regime, and (c) precise control and optimization of material?s thermomechanical history in nanoscale fabrication.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该合作研究团队采用多学科方法来研究通过使用金属玻璃辊模具实现热塑性聚合物薄膜表面可扩展压印的可行性。具有高纵横比纳米级特征的热塑性聚合物表现出多种特性，在太阳能电池、透明导电薄膜和光子晶体等众多应用中非常受欢迎。使用卷对卷 (R2R) 纳米压印技术制造具有纳米级特征的薄膜是针对反应性聚合物而开发的，但对于热塑性聚合物来说却是一个挑战，因为它们的粘度通常高出 100 倍以上，并且需要明显更高的压印压力。因此，需要开发一种用于热塑性纳米压印的精确且耐用的滚筒模具。该合作项目涉及两个机构，一个机构领导对热塑性基材中高纵横比纳米结构的设计和卷对卷制造的研究，另一个机构负责表征和建模方面的工作。这项研究的结果为将新型制造技术成功转移到工业领域奠定了科学基础，并实现了纳米器件的经济生产，应用于能源、医疗保健、汽车和电信领域。该项目进一步丰富了课程开发，特别是在纳米制造跨学科领域，并扩大了妇女和弱势群体对研究的参与。该奖项支持基础研究，探索一种可行的纳米制造工艺，使用机械坚固的金属玻璃辊模具连续生产高保真热塑性纳米结构。金属玻璃是一类高强度金属，可以像塑料一样在过冷液态下加工成特征尺寸小至 10 nm 的大尺寸几何形状。该项目涉及多项任务。 (1) 研究平面纳米结构向金属玻璃涂层滚轮模具曲面上的转移。 (2)无结晶金属玻璃滚压纳米压印热机械加工窗口的识别。 (3)利用接近加热提高复制精度。 (4) 印迹纳米结构复制保真度的表征。 (5) 基于卷对卷纳米制造工艺的数值模拟性能。预计对连续纳米压印过程中金属玻璃和热塑性聚合物的纳米级动力学做出基本贡献。特别是，该研究增进了对以下方面的理解：(a) 纳米级金属玻璃和热塑性聚合物的流变学和加工-微观结构-性能关系，(b) 过冷液体状态下金属玻璃的结晶，以及 (c) 纳米级制造中材料热机械历史的精确控制和优化。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并被视为 值得通过使用基金会的智力优点和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

项目成果

Simulation of polymer imprinting and embossing using smoothed dissipative particle dynamics

使用平滑耗散粒子动力学模拟聚合物压印和压花

• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: Conference Proceedings
• 作者: James St Julien;Donggang Yao
• 通讯作者: Donggang Yao