Missouri State University1, Springfield, MO 65809 Massachusetts Institute of Technology2, Cambridge, MA 02139
Initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition (iCVD) is a well known method for depositing polymers for use in chemical, biological, and electrical applications. By utilizing a variant of hot filament deposition we can produce conformal coatings of polymer films at relatively low reaction temperatures. The iCVD method is a solventless technique in which thin polymeric films are deposited by introducing controlled ratios of monomer and initiator gasses into the reaction chamber. Low temperatures in the reaction chamber allow the deposition of polymer films on a wide variety of substrates that include biological substrates. In collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) we have demonstrated the ability to deposit copolymers with different compositions, coat curved surfaces, pattern various substrates, and create chlorine-resistant antifouling coatings.
We are building an iCVD reactor at Missouri State University (MSU). This reactor is based on a design similar to a reactor in the Gleason Lab at MIT. It is constructed of steel with a diameter of 204 mm and height of 154 mm. Monomer and initiator gases will be metered with a precision Swagelok valve. Heating of the reactants will be achieved using chromalloy wires. The expected pressure during the reaction will be on the order of 1 Torr.
The construction of this iCVD reactor will give us at MSU the ability to develop bio-compatible coatings, antibacterial coatings, and electrically conductive coatings for biomedical and electronic applications. In this part of the presentation, we will discuss the challenges and design problems we faced and are overcoming to complete the project in a primarily undergraduate research environment.
[Abstract (DOCX)]