There is a chemical hydrophobic main chain and hydrophilic side chain of poly (N-isopropyl acrylamide)(PNIPAM). The molecular chain conformation of PNIPAM is sensitive to temperature due to its special chemical structure that responses reversibly with temperature about physical conformation. Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) is a cubic silica core surrounded by eight corner functional group which can be incorporated into polymer material. PNIPAM was prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) carried out at 0 oC and resulted the narrow polydisperity of homopolymer. We produced star-like organic/inorganic hybrid POSS-PNIPAM via click and hydrosilylation reactions. The synthesis of POSS-PNIPAM copolymers was characterized by GPC, 1H NMR and FTIR analyses. DLS, UV-Vis and PL spectrometer were use to measure the particle size, cloud point and photoluminescence of PNIPAM solution in this study.

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Throughout the study of polymeric Langmuir monolayers at the air/water (A/W) interface, the Wilhelmy plate and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) techniques along with Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) have been identified as key methods for acquiring structural, thermodynamic, rheological and morphological information. These techniques along with surface light scattering (SLS), a method for probing a monolayer's dynamic dilational rheological properties, will be used to characterize homopolymers, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and a new class of novel polymeric surfactants, telechelic (POSS-PEG-POSS) and hemi-telechelic (POSS-PEG) polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) derivatives of PEG. PEO with number average molar mass, Mn > ~ 18 kg·mol-1 form stable spread Langmuir films at the A/W interface, while oligomeric PEG have ï -A isotherms that deviate from high molar mass PEO. Nonetheless, SLS reveals that the dynamic dilational viscoelastic properties of any Mn PEG(PEO) only depend on ï and not Mn. Likewise, POSS-PEG-POSS telechelics exhibit molar mass dependent ï -A isotherms, where low ï regimes (ï < 1 mN·m-1) have PEG-like behavior, but high ï regimes were dominated by POSS-POSS interactions. SLS studies reveal that the dynamic dilational moduli of POSS-PEG-POSS are greater than either PEO or an analogous POSS compound, trisilanolcyclohexyl-POSS. The ability to control rheological properties and the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance even allows one POSS-PEG-POSS (PEG Mn = 1 kg·mol-1) to form Y-type LB-multilayer films. For POSS-PEG systems, comparisons at comparable POSS:PEG ratios reveal short PEG chains (PEG Mn ~ 0.5 kg·mol-1) yield similar viscoelastic properties as POSS-PEG-POSS (PEG Mn ~ 1 kg·mol-1), while longer PEG chains (PEG Mn ~ 2 kg·mol-1) yield lower modulus films than comparable POSS-PEG-POSS. These differences are attributed to brush-like PEG conformations in short POSS-PEG versus mushroom-like PEG conformations in long POSS-PEG at the A/W interface. These results provide insight for designing PEG-based amphiphilic nanoparticles with controlled interfacial rheology. / Ph. D.

Le présent travail vise la synthèse d’organosilices nano-structurées à partir de briques élémentaires de silsesquioxanes polyédriques fonctionnalisées (T8-POSS) de structure cube (RSiO1,5)8. L’assemblage de briques fonctionnelles T8-POSS a été étudié selon deux voies : par des interactions fortes en formant des liaisons covalentes et par des interactions faibles en formant des liaisons hydrogène.La première partie décrit la formation de réseaux hybrides covalents à partir de structure T8 POSS portant huit fonctions aldéhydes. La synthèse et la structure cristalline de ces « cubes » fonctionnalisés sont décrites et la réactivité des fonctions aldéhydes est examinée. La formation de liaisons C=N par réaction d’amines conduit à des réseaux tridimensionnels grâce à la formation de ponts organiques bis-imines joignant les unités silsesquioxanes. Bien que la formation d’imine soit réversible, les solides obtenus ne présentent pas d’ordre à longue distance. La formation de liaisons C=C, dans des conditions de synthèse non réversibles, par réaction de bis-ylures de phosphonium avec les aldéhydes a également été étudiée. Ces réactions de type Wittig engendrent la formation de réseaux hybrides amorphes contenant des sous-structures phenylène-vinylènes dotées de propriétés de fluorescence. La deuxième partie décrit la synthèse de nouvelles molécules de T8-POSS, possédant des fonctions organiques amines ou acides carboxyliques capables d’interactions intermoléculaires grâce à des liaisons hydrogène. Ces interactions permettent l’assemblage des dérivés du T8-POSS fonctionnalisés par huit fonctions acides carboxyliques en un réseau 3D ordonné. Les briques élémentaires T8- POSS s’auto-assemblent par dimérisation des fonctions acides pour engendrer des silices hybrides cristallines. Les structures ont été déterminées par diffraction de rayons X. Les fonctions acides carboxyliques sont intéressantes non seulement par leur capacité à former des liaisons hydrogènes mais également par leur aptitude à former des carboxylates métalliques. Ces derniers ouvrent des perspectives pour la formation de réseaux d’oragnosilices incorporant des métaux. / The present work aimed at synthesising nano-structured organosilicas using polyhedral silsesquioxane building blocks (T8-POSS) having a cube structure. The assembly of T8-POSS building blocks to form a 3D network was studied in two ways: first by formation of strong covalent bonds and secondly by formation of weak hydrogen bonds.The first part described the formation of covalent hybrid networks from T8-POSS structures with eight aldehyde functional groups. The synthesis and crystal structure of these functionalised silsesquioxane cubes is described and the reactivity of the aldehyde groups is studied. The formation of C=N bonds upon reaction with amines lead to tree-dimensional networks upon formation of bis-imine bridges linking the silsesquioxane units. Despite the imine formation was reversible, the resulting solids were amorphous materials and exhibited no long distance order. The formation of C=C bonds, under non-reversible reaction conditions, was achieved by reaction of phosphonium bis-ylides. The Wittig type reactions generated amorphous hybrid networks containing bridging phenylene-vinylene substructures with fluorescence properties.The second part described the synthesis of new functionalised T8-POSS cubes with eight amine or carboxylic acid functions capable of intermolecular interactions by hydrogen bonding. It allowed the assembly of the octa-carboxylique acid cubes to form an ordered 3D hybrid network. The T8-POSS building blocks self-assembled upon dimerization of the acid groups and generated crystalline hybrid silicas. The crystal structures were determined by X-ray diffraction. The use carboxylic acid groups is interesting because of its ability to form hydrogen bonds and also because of its ability to form metal carboxylate derivatives. It could lead to hybrid metal organic silica frameworks.

This research involved the synthesis and characterisation of a range of optically active polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) compounds. POSS precursor compounds containing functional groups required for subsequent attachment of the desired functional groups have been synthesised. Examples of such precursor compounds include mono-functionalised POSS compounds with periphery aldehyde, azide, amino and pyridyl functional groups. A variety of POSS compounds, functionalised with a range of optical functionalities, including optical limiters such as fulleropyrrolidine and iminofullerene, and dyes and pigments, including naphthalene, biphenyl, perylene, pyrene and porphyrin have been synthesised. The reaction of mono-functionalised POSS aldehydes with fullerene (C60) in the presence of N-methylglycine yielded the desired POSS fulleropyrrolidines, whilst reaction of mono-functionalised POSS azide with C60 yielded POSS iminofullerenes. All POSS fullerene compounds were characterised by power limiting measurements, exhibiting comparable power limiting to that of parent C60. The microwave condensation of mono-amino POSS with a range of mono- and bis-anhydrides yielded the POSS imide compounds, which were characterised by UV-Vis and fluorescence spectrophotometry. The perylene POSS imide derivative was further characterised by single crystal x-ray crystallography. The naphtha and biphenyl POSS imides exhibited extremely weak fluorescence, whilst the perylene ii POSS imide displayed particularly strong fluorescence, with a quantum yield approaching unity. The incorporation of a pyridyl group on the periphery of a mono-functionalised POSS cage allowed for the synthesis of the first porphyrin functionalised POSS compound. Mono-porphyrin POSS exhibited comparable absorption properties to other pyridyl ligated ruthenium porphyrins. Mono-functionalised pyrene POSS compounds were prepared through the reaction of 1-pyrene acid chloride with mono(3-aminopropyl)POSS. This synthetic pathway offered a convenient route to mono-functionalised pyrene POSS, in preference to the multi-substitution associated with Heck coupling. Mono-pyrene POSS was determined to be strongly fluorescent, exhibiting a high quantum yield of fluorescence

Air-gap structures are of particular interest for packaging of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). In this work, an overcoat material is used to cover a sacrificial polymer, which protects the MEMS device during packaging. Once the overcoat is in place, the sacrificial polymer is thermally decomposed freeing the MEMS structure while the overcoat dielectric provides mechanical protection from the environment. An epoxy POSS dielectric was used as a high-selectivity etch mask for the PPC and a rigid overcoat for the structure leading to the process improvements. The packaging structures can be designed for a range of MEMS device sizes and operating environments. However, the air-cavity structures need additional rigidity to withstand chip-level packaging conditions. Metalized air cavity packages were molded under traditional lead frame molding pressures and tested for mechanical integrity. The experimental molding tests and mechanical models were used to establish processing conditions and physical designs for the cavities as a function of cavity size. A semi-hermetic package was created using an in-situ sacrificial decomposition/epoxy cure molding step for creating large cavity chip packages. Through the optimization of the air cavity, new materials and processes were tested for general microfabrication. The epoxy POSS dielectric provides a resilient, strong inorganic/organic hybrid dielectric for use in microfabrication and packaging applications. Polycarbonates can be used for low cost temporary adhesives in wafer-wafer bonding. An improved electroless deposition process for silver and copper was developed. The Sn/Pd activation was replaced by a cost efficient Sn/Ag catalyst. The process was shown to be able to deposit adherent copper on smooth POSS and silicon dioxide surfaces. Electroless copper was demonstrated on untreated silicon oxide wafers for TSV sidewall deposition.