Molecular assembly of materials with covalent bonding: Path to robust structures

Ultrathin films were fabricated using synthesized polyimide (HPI) with hydroxyl pendant groups in a layer-by-layer fashion on amine-terminated substrates of silicon, quartz and gold. The interlayer linkages were established by using terephthaloyl chloride as a bridging agent to form ester groups between HPI layers. Furthermore, when working on the nanometer scale in liquid solvents, necessity of a solvent rinse after each deposition step and the presence of residual solvent are problematic. To avoid the problems related to residual solvent we have fabricated an ultrathin film of oligoimide on amine-modified substrates of silicon and quartz through alternate layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly of pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and diaminodiphenylether (DDE), with inter-layer links established by covalent bonds. The assembly was formed in supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2), and in solution (N,N-dimethylacetamide, DMAc), and the imidization reaction was performed by thermal and chemical methods, in benzene and in the supercritical medium. We have compared these films with those assembled in a conventional solvent medium. The comparison is further extended to carrying out the imidization reaction by various methods. The films show excellent stability and strength, which can be attributed to the covalent interlayer linkage.