Dynamic Analyses of Polymer Surface using Dielectric Relaxation

Abstract

A new dielectric relaxation measurement technique for analyses of polymer surface was developed. In this technique, in order to maintain the original surface, probing electrodes were placed away from the sample, and a liquid to stabilize the surface was filled in the space between the sample and the electrodes. From difference of dielectric relaxation between a bare polyimide and gold-coated polyimide, the surface of polyimide was characterized. The surface dielectric relaxation spectrum at room temperature depended on the liquid species: The Debye relaxation was obtained for ethanol, while multiple-relaxation was observed for ultrapure water. A thermal activation process of the polyimide surface was investigated using temperature-controlled ultrapure water, and it was found that the surface transited from the multiple-relaxation to the Debye relaxation at ∼95°C. In the Debye relaxation condition, the surface can be characterized with a capacitance independent of the liquid species. The capacitance estimated at 110 pF provided a characteristic curve of the polyimide surface. A surface model was proposed to explain the thermal activation process.