Microelectronic devices are multilayered structures with many different interfaces. Their mechanical reliability is of utmost importance when considering the implementation of new materials. Linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) is a common approach that has been used for interfacial fracture analyses in the microelectronics industry where the energy release rate parameter is considered to be the driving force for delamination and the failure criterion is established by comparing this with the interface toughness. However this approach has been unable to model crack-nucleation, which plays an important part in analyzing the mechanical reliability of chip-package systems. The cohesive interface modeling approach, which is considered here, has the capability to model crack nucleation and growth, provided interfacial parameters such as strength and toughness of the system are available. These parameters are obtained through the extraction of traction-separation relations, which can be obtained through indirect hybrid numerical/experimental methods or direct experimental methods. All methods of extracting traction-separation relations require some local feature of the crack-tip region to be measured. The focus in this doctoral work has been on the comparison of the two methods for a mode-I DCB experiment and on the development of a universal loading device to extract mixed-mode traction-separation relations at different mode-mix values. The techniques that have been adopted for the local measurements are infrared crack opening interferometry (IR-COI) and digital image correlation (DIC). Apart from the global measurements of load-displacement (P-[delta]), local crack-tip parameters were measured using IR-COI or DIC. The combination of global and local measurements gave the relations between the fracture driving force (energy release rate or J-integral, J) and crack opening displacements, which were used to obtain the local tractions. IR-COI is an extremely useful technique to image and measure local crack-tip parameters. However, as IR-COI is restricted to normal measurements, the loading device was configured to accommodate a DIC system in order to make both normal and tangential measurements. In addition to measurements, fracture surface characterization techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), profilometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to observe the fracture mechanisms. / text

published_or_final_version / Chemistry / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Not available / text

M. Tech. Polymer Technology. / The gas permeability of composite epoxy resins formulated with graphene platelets and glass flakes was investigated. The purpose of researching the gas permeability of the composite resins was to develop a possible coating system that could prevent or limit the release of radioactive gases like tritium from irradiated graphite waste which may accumulate in underground repositories. Helium was used as a substitute gas to simulate the diffusive properties of tritium gas.

M. Tech. Polymer Technoliogy. / Studies the basic curing, rheological and thermomechanical behaviours of hybrids composed of a VE resin and acrylated epoxidised soyabean oil (AESO). The hybrid systems were cured by free radical initiated radical copolymerisation with styrene. The prospective outcomes were: To find suitable initiators/accelerators for the VE/AESO hybrids which work within the entire composition range? To contribute to the selection of VE resins for AESO modification To establish the optimal quantity of AESO required obtaining the best cure characteristics, the most acceptable reduction in Tg, and stiffness as compared with the parent VE resin.

The structure-property relationships of epoxy nanocomposites with inorganic layer-structure nanofillers have been studied to obtain the fundamental understanding of the role of nanofillers and the physics of polymer nanocomposites in this dissertation. Several polymer nanocomposite systems with modified montmorillonite (MMT) or α-zirconium phosphate (ZrP) nanofillers were prepared with epoxy matrices of different ductility and properties. The successful nanofiller's exfoliations were confirmed with X-ray diffraction and transmision electronic microscopy (TEM). Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) on the prepared epoxy nanocomposites revealed the significant increase in rubbery plateau moduli of the epoxy nanocomposite systems above Tg, as high as 4.5 times, and tensile test results showed improved modulus by the nanofiller addition, while the fracture toughenss was not affected or slightly decreased by nanofillers. The brittle epoxy nanocomposite systems were toughened with core shell rubber (CSR) particles and showed remarkable increase in fracture toughness (KIC) value up to 270%. The CSR toughening is more effective at ductile matrices, and TEM observation indicates that major toughening mechanisms induced by the CSR addition involve a large scale CSR cavitation, followed by massive shear deformation of the matrix.

El present treball té com objectiu l'obtenció de materials entrecreuats conservant una mesofase cristall líquid fixada, comunment denominats LCTs. La majoria de LCTs s'obtenen per entrecreuament de reïnes epoxi cristall líquid amb amines aromàtiques primàries. L'entrecreuament dins de la mesofase porta a materials amb un menor coeficient d'expansió tèrmica i en alguns casos amb un augment considerable del mòdul d'emmagatzematge. L'orientació dels LCTs per entrecreuament dins d'un camp magnètic porta a materials anisòtrops amb una millora de les propietats mecàniques en la direcció del camp aplicat. En aquest cas, s'han sintetitzat sis sèries de monòmers diepoxídics mesomorfs amb estructura de dímer i que contenen un grup imina dins la unitat mesogènica. S'ha estudiat la influència de la diferent llargària de l'espaciador central i la incorporació de grups èter i èster als extrems del mesògen en el comportament mesomorf. L'estudi de les característiques de cristall líquid s'han caracteritzat mitjançant calorimetria diferncial d'escombrat, microscopia òptica de llum polaritzada i difracció de raigs X. A més d'aquestes tècniques, s'han caracteritzat les propietats mecàniques dels LCTs obtinguts mitjançant anàlisi termodinamomecànica. Dues de les sèries han mostrat mesofases esmèctiques i la resta únicament una mesofase nemàtica. Els resultats obtinguts confirmen la importància de la polaritat del mesogen i de la posició del grup ester entre l'espaciador central i els mesògens per a la formació de mesofases esmèctiques.S'han obtingut LCTs a partir de l'entrecreuament d'aquest monòmers amb cantitats estequiomètriques de 2,4-diaminotoluè, 4,4'-aminoacetofenona azina, i 2,4-toluendiisocianat sol i catalitzat per 4-N,N-dimetilaminopiridina. També s'han obtingut LCTs per entrecreuament amb 4-N,Ndimetilaminopiridina i diazabiciclo[2,2,2]octà en quantitats catalítiques. Els LCTs obtinguts s'han caracterizat per fixar majoritàriament ordenacions nemàtiques i en alguns casos ordenacions esmèctiques C. En els LCTs obtinguts s'ha posat de manifest la importància de la polaritat del mesogen per l'obtenció de LCTs i de la posició del grup ester entre l'espaciador central i els mesògens per a la formació de LCTs amb ordenacions esmèctiques.S'han estudiat les propietats mecàniques dels LCTs entrecreuats amb 2,4-diaminotoluè, 4-N,N-dimetilaminopiridina i diazabiciclo[2,2,2]octà. S'han comparat tres tipus diferents de materials, materials isòtrops, orientats en microdominis i materials macroscòpicament orientats. S'han obtingut graus d'orientació petits, tot i que els materials orientats van mostrar anisotropia en el coeficient d'expansió tèrmica.Obtention of LCTs from liquid crystal epoxy resins with dimeric structure. / The search for new materials with unusual mechanical and thermal properties led to research into liquid crystalline thermosets (LCT's). LC epoxies are the monomers that have been most frequently studied to obtain LCT's. If the crosslinking is carried out in the mesophase, the LCTs obtained have unusual mechanical and thermal properties, low shrinkage upon cure, low thermal expansion coefficients, low dielectric constants and enhanced reaction rates because the ordered structures mean that the reacting groups are close to one another. Several publications describe the physical properties of oriented and unoriented LCT's. Macroscopically oriented LCTs obtained by curing in the mesomorphic state inside a magnetic field led to thermal expansion coefficient and storage modulus having anisotropic characteristics. Thus, the thermal expansion coefficient of macroscopically oriented materials must be lower than that of unoriented materials and the storage modulus must be expected to increase considerably in the direction of the orientation. I have synthesized six series of liquid-crystalline epoxy resins with aromatic azomethine groups and dimeric architecture, and varied the length of the alkyl spacer. The liquid crystal behaviour of these dimeric glycidylic compounds was studied by diferential scanning calorimetry (DSC), hot stage polarized optical microscopy (POM) and X-Ray Diffraction (WAXS). Two series of them show smectic mesophases and the other show nematic mesophase. From the results we have confirmed the importance of the polarization of the mesogenic groups and the presence of an ester group in the inner position in the formation of smectic mesophases.I obtained LCT's from these monomers by isothermal curing with equimolecular amounts of 2,4-diaminotoluene, 4,4'-aminoacetophenone azine, and 2-4-toluendiisocyanate alone and catalized with 4-N,N-dimethylaminopyridine. Another LCT's have obtained by isothermal curing with catalytic amounts of 4-N,N-dimethylaminopyridine or diazabicicle[2,2,2]octane. By curing these monomers with primary and tertiary amines we make clear the polarization of the mesogenic groups and the presence of an ester group in the inner position are also determinant to obtain LCTs with a different degree of order. Most monomers produced nematic-like networks, but in one case smectic C mesophase was also locked.Finally, the mechanical characterization of the LCTs obtained by curing with 2,4-diaminotoluene, 4-N,N-dimethylaminopyridine and diazabicicle[2,2,2]octane was studied by thermodinamicmechanical analysis. The orientation experiments were made by conducting the curing in the same conditions in a NMR probe with a magnetic field of 7.1 T. I compare isotropic materials, LCTs and LCTs obtained inside a magnetic field. Low orientation degrees have led. Macroscopically oriented

Parmi les nouvelles technologies pour l'énergie inscrites dans un contexte de développement durable, les piles à combustible à membrane échangeuse de protons (PEMFC) présentent des aspects séduisants. Toutefois, pour rendre cette technologie compatible avec une application à grande échelle, elle doit répondre à des exigences strictes en termes de coût, performance, et durabilité. Alors que les plaques bipolaires métalliques sont pénalisées par leur résistance à la corrosion et celles en graphite par leurs propriétés mécaniques et leur coût (dû aux phases d'usinage des canaux), les plaques bipolaires composites apparaissent attrayantes en raison de leurs propriétés et performances et de leur coût. Cette thèse s'inscrit dans ce cadre, en proposant un matériau composite à matrice organique de type époxy et charges conductrices de graphite. L'objectif de notre étude consiste à mettre au point un matériau thermodurcissable à base d'une formulation époxyde solide (permettant de contrôler sa chimie et plus particulièrement sa réactivité) fortement chargée en graphite. Deux formulations différentes sont étudiées. La première est à base de prépolymère époxy appelé DGEBA et de dicyandiamide (DDA) comme durcisseur. L'autre formulation étudiée est constituée de DGEBA et de durcisseur : le 3,3',4,4'-benzophénone dianhydride tétracarboxylique (BTDA). Ces deux formulations ont la particularité d'être très réactives à haute température (180-200°C) caractérisées par des temps de gel très courts (plus petit que 1min) afin d'avoir un temps de cycle de réticulation court pour une industrialisation de la fabrication. De plus, ces mêmes matrices ont montré une bonne stabilité chimique à température ambiante ainsi qu'une bonne stabilité thermique du système réticulé compatible avec la température d'utilisation des piles en fonctionnement. Concernant les réseaux composites résultant de la polymérisation DGEBA/BTDA et DGEBA/DDA, le module au plateau caoutchoutique est dominé par le taux de charge qui est très élevé (85%), celui-ci est ainsi très proche d'un réseau à l'autre et reste supérieur à 1 GPa. Nous constatons une viscosité relativement élevée pour les systèmes fortement chargés, point à prendre en compte lors du procédé de transformation. Enfin, la dernière partie des travaux réalisés concerne l'étude de mélange constitué de la matrice thermodurcissable (DGEBA/DDA/urée) modifiée par un thermoplastique (PEI). L'originalité et l'intérêt de ce travail résident dans l'incorporation de charges conductrices afin que celles-ci puissent se disperser dans la phase continue ou co-continue époxyde-amine lors de la séparation de phase pour limiter la proportion de charges et ainsi la viscosité des systèmes chargés. L'autre intérêt est d'améliorer les propriétés de résistance à la rupture du réseau époxyde TD final grâce à la présence de la phase thermoplastique séparée.

A series of hybrid component based on reactive polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane(POSS) precusors and its reactive copolymers of PGMA were synthesized and utilized to nanobuild in epoxy. Reactive POSS and copolymer dispersed in homogenous in matrix, overcomed POSS-POSS interaction, which resulted in macroscale phase separation. The nanocomposites obtained were analyzed by Scanning electron microscopy, Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray scattering and dynamic mechanical. An analogue of POSS (denoted as POSSMOCA) was synthesized via addition reaction, which had reactive amino group bonding into epoxy network and improved the thermostability, because of the structural silicon, nitrogen and halogen. Epoxy/polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) hybrid composites were prepared from prereaction between trifunctional silanol POSS-OH and diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) via silanol and the oxirane group. Reactive POSS-PGMA was polymerized via Reversible addition-fragmentation transfer polymerization. It was easy to tail the compatibility of the epoxide block copolymer with a step-growth polymerized matrix, to form nanostructure via reaction with PGMA segements. In the case of inert POSS-PMMA copolymers modified epoxy, topology of copolymer defined the final morphology and interaction between epoxy and them, because of directional hydrogen bonding and dilution effect. Tg of different epoxide conversion, obeyed of Gordon-Taylor equation and Kwei equation, k which reflected the interaction of modifier and DGEBA/MEDA and epoxy/amine oligomers, was consistent of the rheology and dynamic results.

Cette thèse consiste en une étude comparative des propriétés thermomécaniques de composites tissés à matrice thermoplastique (PEEK ou PPS) et thermodurcissable (époxy). Une analyse bibliographique a permis la comparaison les comportements des ces stratifies en fonction de la nature de la matrice, de la sollicitation et des conditions environnementales. Une étude expérimentale a conduit à une base de données des trois matériaux sous diverses sollicitations mécaniques (essais monotones élémentaires et structures) et différentes conditions environnementales (température et V.H.). Des essais sur assemblages boulonnes (simple et double recouvrement) ont également été réalisés. Une technique de mesure de champ par corrélation d'images numériques a permis d'étudier le comportement de stratifies troues. Enfin, un modèle de comportement élastoplastique orthotrope de stratifies tisses a matrice thermoplastique a été implémenté dans le code E.F. cast3m et valide pour différentes températures.