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Adhesion and the surface behavior of the silicone elastomer RTV‐142
Author(s) -
Bretzlaff R. S.,
Freitag T. A.,
Lee Andréa
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.760261304
Subject(s) - materials science , adhesion , elastomer , polymer , composite material , scanning electron microscope , particle (ecology) , adhesive , silicone , surface energy , layer (electronics) , oceanography , geology
The silicone elastomer RTV‐142 is often used as a particle‐getter material inside electronics packages. The adhesion mechanism that forms the bond between the particle and the cured adhesive has been investigated. One expects, theoretically, that polymer chains exhibit a temperature‐dependent mobility. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the flow of polymer chain segments around asperities on the foreign particles causes adhesion. Calculations of the surface energy of an idealized polymer system are presented which support the concept of a free‐energetically driven flow of chain segments into pores and around asperities. Polymer surface‐chain mobility is investigated experimentally by the scanning electron microscope analysis of a fractured, cut, and particle‐decorated surface. Surface appearance changes were noted as a function of temperature. Scanning electron micrographs indicate that polymer chain movement is temperature dependent. Such findings support the proposed adhesion mechanism.