UV Photopatternability and Electrical Properties of GnF/SU-8 Composites Controlled by GnF Concentration

• Published in: Key engineering materials 2018-03, Vol.765, p.60-64
• Main Authors: Park, Sung Min, Nam, Gyung Mok, Park, Sang Heon, Choi, Young, Woo, Seung Pyo, Yoon, Sang Hee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Controllability; Electrical properties; Electrical resistivity; Material properties; Photoresists; Polymer matrix composites; Polymerization; Stability; Thickness
• ISSN: 1013-9826; 1662-9795; 1662-9795
• DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.765.60

The GnF/SU-8 composites are new polymer matrix composites (PMCs) composed of graphite nanoflakes (GnFs) bound together by SU-8 photoresist. The PMCs therefore have excellent ultraviolet (UV) photopatternability and high electrical properties. In spite of the unique material properties of GnF/SU-8 composites, much still remains uncertain about their controllability in both UV photopatternability and electrical properties. Here, we investigate 7 kinds of GnF/SU-8 composites having different GnF concentrations of 5.0 to 25.0 wt.% to characterize the changes in the UV photopatternability (i.e., polymerized thickness and photopattern quality) and electrical conductivity of GnF/SU-8 composites caused by a variation in GnF concentration. The polymerized thickness of GnF/SU-8 composites is measured to be in the range of 4.06 to 23.99 μm, which is inversely proportional to GnF concentration and also directly proportional to UV dose (i.e., 345 to 3,450 mJ/cm2) because of the screening effect of GnF existed in the composites; the photopattern quality at the edge is in inverse proportion to GnF concentration. An increase in GnF concentration leads to a significant change in the electrical conductivity of GnF/SU-8 composites in a proportional way (up to 25.34 S/m). The GnF/SU-8 composites are expected to be widely used as UV photopatternable and electrically conductive PMCs for diverse engineering applications.