Analysing the properties of a thermoformed polyimide film for a gas chromatography valve

分析气相色谱阀用热成型聚酰亚胺薄膜的性能

• 批准号: 543222-2019
• 负责人: Greener, Jesse
• 金额: $ 1.82万
• 依托单位: Université Laval
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Engage Grants Program
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=680266
• 关键词: Analysing; properties; thermoformed; polyimide; film

This proposal seeks NSERC funds to address a current problem of APN-AFP inc., in Québec, namely developing high quality valves for chromatography. In the recent years, an unusual high rejection rate was observed not continuously, and the diaphragm of the valves, microfabricated in polyimide was identified as the element causing a so high rejection rate, that can reach 50% in some periods of the year. In a context of high productivity, due to the high demand, this can compromise the efficiency of the company, and create a work surcharge. The fabrication of such diaphragm includes a series of multi-step hot embossing processes demanding control of parameters such temperature, compression charges, and others. The team of APN-AFP inc. optimised the process over the last months, but without reaching significant results. The hypotheses behind this project is that the parameters of temperature, air humidity, process loads, and storing the diaphragm sensitively affect the intrinsically microstructure of the polyimide diaphragm. By an innovative approach unexplored up to now, in 6 months, we plan to carry out a parametric study combining mechanical processing, advanced spectroscopy, mechanical testing, differential scanning microscopy, and advanced surface analyses to assess which are the element responsible to induce changes so important to compromise the performances of the diaphragm. This is expected to improve the competitiveness of APN-AFP inc., and by extension all the Canadian manufacturing industry of high-added value ultra-precise products. We propose to mainly investigate a route towards systematic characterization through advanced chemical and mechanical technique of all the steps required to produce the diaphragm from polyimide raw material. This is not a routine work, mainly because the literature is unclear of the precise role that temperature, humidity and fabrication processes can affect polyimide structure. APN-AFP inc. from its side, needs to push the materials to work at the highest performance limits. By this work, intrinsically, we are pushing the knowledge of the polyimide structure/property relationships over the frontier of the known.

这项提案寻求NSERC的资金，以解决魁北克APN-AFP Inc.目前的一个问题，即开发高质量的层析阀门。近年来，不连续地观察到异常高的截留率，聚酰亚胺微细加工的阀门隔膜被认为是导致如此高的截留率的因素，在一年中的某些时期可以达到50%。在高生产率的背景下，由于高需求，这可能会损害公司的效率，并产生工作附加费。这种隔膜的制造包括一系列需要控制温度、压缩负荷等参数的多步骤热压工艺。Apn-afp inc.的团队在过去几个月里优化了这一过程，但没有取得重大成果。该项目背后的假设是，温度、空气湿度、工艺负荷和隔膜储存等参数敏感地影响聚酰亚胺隔膜的内在微结构。通过一种到目前为止尚未探索的创新方法，我们计划在6个月内进行一项参数研究，结合机械加工、先进的光谱分析、机械测试、差示扫描显微镜和先进的表面分析，以评估哪些因素会导致如此重要的变化，从而影响隔膜的性能。这有望提高APN-AFP Inc.的竞争力，进而提高加拿大所有高附加值超精密产品的制造业。我们建议主要研究一种途径，通过先进的化学和机械技术对从聚酰亚胺原料生产隔膜所需的所有步骤进行系统表征。这不是一项常规工作，主要是因为文献不清楚温度、湿度和制造工艺会影响聚酰亚胺结构的确切作用。Apn-afp inc.需要推动材料以最高的性能极限工作。通过这项工作，从本质上讲，我们正在推动聚酰亚胺结构/性质关系的知识超越已知的前沿。