Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory FY 2004 ... - NIST

Executive Summary
The NIST homepage summarizes the key vision for
the National Institute of Standards and Technology
. . .working with industry to foster innovation, trade,
security and jobs. This vision guides the choices of
research in the Polymers Division. In this annual
report, we have tried to give you an update on our
current projects and a glimpse of some of the
scientific highlights of 2004.
Our researchers supporting the electronics materials
industry continue to have strong interactions with
industry, research organizations, and scientific peers.
International SEMATECH remains a strong supporter
of our work, pushing forward with next generation
low-k dielectric materials. Building on some previous
work with IBM, we have now partnered with
SEMATECH to extend our investigations of the
fundamentals of the lithographic process. This year,
we completed our work on dielectric metrology for
embedded passive devices and initiated two new
projects: one in organic electronics and the other
in nanoimprint lithography. Both technologies are
expected to play prominent roles in the future
generations of semiconductor electronics, and there
are tremendous scientific and technical challenges
to address before that promise is realized.
Following completion of our work on polyolefin
mass spectrometry, we returned to a focus on
quantitative mass spectrometry of polymers. Our
ultimate goal is a standard method for quantitation of
the absolute molecular mass distribution of polymers,
which would enable researchers to produce their own
reference standards. This year an interlaboratory
comparison has given us insight into ways to quantify
the accuracy and repeatability of matrix-assisted laser
desorption-ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS)
in the identification of multiple end groups that result
from polymer synthesis. Our processing characterization
work continues to break new ground in rheology with
the recent observation of suppression of die swell for
extruded polymers blended with a small quantity of
multiwall carbon nanotubes.
Our biomaterials-related work continues to attract
attention on several fronts, from our collaboration
with the American Dental Association Foundation
on dental restorative materials to our 3-dimensional
structural/functional imaging techniques that
allow for in-situ imaging of cell growth in tissue
engineering scaffolds. To further our understanding
Executive Summary
of the interface of materials with cell biology,
we are extending our imaging capabilities beyond
structure and function to chemistry, through
development of broadband coherent anti-Stokes
Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy. CARS
microscopy holds the potential to enable further
understanding in regenerative medicine by deciphering
metabolic state and cell type in-vitro. Other exciting
advances have been made in methodology for
evaluation of the biocompatibility of materials using
Quantitative Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase
Chain Reaction (QRT-PCR).
Our combinatorial and high-throughput researchers
continue to be recognized as pioneers and valuable
partners in accelerated materials research, and our
NIST Combinatorial Methods Center (NCMC)
continues to attract new industrial members.
The latest in the string of innovative approaches
has demonstrated the adaptation of microfluidic (µF)
technology to fabricate polymer molecule libraries
that are compatible with other high-throughput
measurement methods. In addition to this advance
in µF technology, we now have a µF method of
measuring interfacial tension in complex fluids. Our
work on adhesion has progressed with high-throughput
methods to enable rapid quantification of performance
through visualization of debonding mechanisms across
libraries of adhesive conditions.
This year we responded to some specific requests from
other government agencies including a collaboration
with NIST’s Office of Law Enforcement Standards
on long-term stability and durability of polymeric
materials for ballistic resistant armor (e.g., “bulletproof
vests”). Based on our expertise in composite fibers,
we are developing a minimally invasive technique to
test polymeric fibers from ballistic armor currently in
service. We hope to establish the critical links between
chemical structure, mechanical properties, ballistic
resistance, and long-term stability.
As usual, only a portion of our work is included in
this report, so please visit www.nist.gov/polymers
for more details. On our site, you can also download
copies of any of our publications.
As always, I welcome your comments.
Eric J. Amis
Chief, Polymers Division
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