Abstract: The present invention is a method of applying Lotus Effect materials as a (superhydrophobicity) protective coating for various system applications, as well as the method of fabricating/preparing Lotus Effect coatings.

Abstract: An electrical condition monitoring method utilizes measurement of electrical resistivity of a conductive composite degradation sensor to monitor environmentally induced degradation of a polymeric product such as insulated wire and cable. The degradation sensor comprises a polymeric matrix and conductive filler. The polymeric matrix may be a polymer used in the product, or it may be a polymer with degradation properties similar to that of a polymer used in the product. The method comprises a means for communicating the resistivity to a measuring instrument and a means to correlate resistivity of the degradation sensor with environmentally induced degradation of the product.

Abstract: Systems and methods of nanomaterial transfer are described. A method of nanomaterial transfer involving fabricating a template and synthesizing nanomaterials on the template. Subsequently, the nanomaterials are transferred to a substrate by pressing the template onto the substrate. In some embodiments, the step of transferring the nanomaterials involves pressing the template onto the substrate such that the nanomaterials are embedded below a surface layer of the substrate. In some embodiments, the temperature of the plurality of nanomaterials is raised to assist the transfer of the nanomaterials to the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to conductive polymer composites, electrically conductive adhesives, and methods of producing the same. The conductive polymer composites and electrically conductive adhesives may be used for electronic component interconnects, flip chip interconnections, electrical connections to circuit boards, jumper connections, or similar uses. The method of forming a conductive polymer composite includes mixing conductive metal flakes, functionalized conductive metal nanoparticles, and a polymer precursor and curing the polymer precursor to form a composite. In one embodiment, the conductive polymer composites may be composed of microparticles of silver flake and sintered silver nanoparticles between the silver flakes. The polymer composites have an electrical conductivity of less than 10?5 ?·cm.

Abstract: An electrical condition monitoring method utilizes measurement of electrical resistivity of an age sensor made of a conductive matrix or composite disposed in a polymeric structure such as an electrical cable. The conductive matrix comprises a base polymer and conductive filler. The method includes communicating the resistivity to a measuring instrument and correlating resistivity of the conductive matrix of the polymeric structure with resistivity of an accelerated-aged conductive composite.

Abstract: A poly(arylene ether) polymer includes polymer repeat units of the following structure: —(O—Ar1—O—Ar2)m—(O—Ar3—O—Ar4)n— where Ar1, Ar2, Ar3, and Ar4 are identical or different aryl radicals, m is 0.05 to 0.95, n is 1-m, and at least one of the aryl radicals is grafted to at least one hydroxyalkyl group, such as 2-undecanol. The polymer is especially useful in electrically conductive adhesives.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of applying Lotus Effect materials as a (superhydrophobicity) protective coating for external electrical insulation system applications, as well as the method of fabricating/preparing Lotus Effect coatings. Selected inorganic or polymeric materials are applied on the insulating material surface, and stable superhydrophobic coatings can be fabricated. Various UV stabilizers and UV absorbers can be incorporated into the coating system to enhance the coating's UV stability.

Abstract: The present invention provides low stress non-hermetic conformal coatings for the protection of microelectronic devices, such as a Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based multichip module from adverse environments. The induced stress from these two coatings due to the thermal cycling and manufacture processing will not cause any influence on sensing accuracy of the piezopressure sensor or similar functional MEMS devices. Furthermore, the conformal coatings have the merits of low glass transition temperature, good elongation, low moisture uptake and mobile ion permeation, room temperature curability and good contamination resistance to the jet fume, which promise a high reliability for the aerospace and avionics application. One conformal coating comprises a composition/formulation containing a rubber, siloxane or urethane oligomer modified epoxy and an organic hardener, and optionally an organic diluent and a curing catalyst.

Abstract: Polymer composites and methods of making the polymer composites are presented. A representative polymer composite includes a polymer resin and a conductive material, wherein the polymer composite is characterized by a dielectric constant greater the 200. A representative method of making the polymer composite can be broadly summarized by the following steps: providing a polymer resin and a conductive material; mixing the polymer resin and the conductive material; and forming the polymer composite, wherein the polymer composite is characterized by a dielectric constant greater than 200.

Abstract: A poly(arylene ether) polymer includes polymer repeat units of the following structure: —(O—Ar1—O—Ar2—O—)m—(—O—Ar3—O—Ar4—O)n— where Ar1, Ar2, Ar3, and Ar4 are identical or different aryl radicals, m is 0.05 to 0.95, n is 1-m, and at least one of the aryl radicals is grafted to at least one hydroxyalkyl group, such as 2-undecanol. The polymer is especially useful in electrically conductive adhesives.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel process and its required fluxable materials for building low-cost flip-chip interconnect structures. The novel process involves two fluxable materials, fluxable wafer-level compressive-flow underfill material (WLCFU) and fluxable tacky film, and applies these two materials on a wafer level. The two materials can provide sufficient fluxing capability during solder reflow and significant improvement of the fatigue life of the formed solder interconnects after fully cured.

Abstract: A method of joining electrically conductive materials comprises: Applying an electrically conductive adhesive to at least one electrically conductive material(s), wherein the electrically conductive adhesive is prepared from an epoxide-modified polyurethane, a cross-linking agent, an adhesion promotor and a conductive filler; and joining the electrically conductive material(s) with the applied adhesive to a substrate and curing the adhesive.

Abstract: A no-flow reworkable epoxy underfill is provided for use in an electronic packaged system which incorporates an integrated circuit, an organic printed wire board, and at least one eutectic solder joint formed therebetween. An exemplary embodiment of the encapsulant includes: a cycloaliphatic epoxide; an organic hardener; a curing accelerator; and a fluxing agent wherein said cycloaliphatic epoxide includes a carbonate or carbamate group. The encapsulant can also include a filler, such as a silica filler. A method is also provided for forming the aforementioned reworkable epoxy underfills.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to polymer-ceramic composites having high dielectric constants formed using polymers containing a metal acetylacetonate (acacs) curing catalyst. In particular, it has been discovered that 5 weight percent Co(III) acac can increase the dielectric constant of DER661 epoxy by about 60%. The high dielectric polymers are combined with fillers, preferably ceramic fillers, to form two phase composites having high dielectric constants. Composites having about 30 to about 90% volume ceramic loading and a high dielectric base polymer, preferably epoxy, have been discovered to have a dielectric constants greater than about 60. Composites having dielectric constants greater than about 74 to about 150 are also disclosed. Also disclosed are embedded capacitors with capacitance densities of at least 25 nF/cm2, preferably at least 35 nF/cm2, most preferably 50 nF/cm2. Methods to increase the dielectric constant of the two phase composites having high dielectric constants are also provided.

Abstract: A reworkable epoxy underfill is provided for use in an electronic packaged system which incorporates an integrated circuit, an organic printed wire board, and at least one eutectic solder joint formed therebetween. An exemplary embodiment of the encapsulant includes: a cycloaliphatic epoxide; an organic hardener; and a curing accelerator; wherein said cycloaliphatic epoxide includes a carbonate or carbamate group. The encapsulant can also include a filler, such as a silica filler. A method is also provided for forming the aforementioned reworkable epoxy underfills.

Abstract: A reworkable high temperature adhesive, comprising the reaction product of (a) a thermoplastic adhesive selected from the group consisting of polyetherimides, polyamide-imides, polysulfones, polyethersulfones, silicon-carbon thermosets, polyphenylene sulfides and mixtures thereof; (b) a metal acetonate; (c) an epoxy resin; (d) a crosslinker; (e) and a catalyst.

Abstract: A no-flow reworkable epoxy underfill is provided for use in an electronic packaged system which incorporates an integrated circuit, an organic printed wire board, and at least one eutectic solder joint formed therebetween. An exemplary embodiment of the encapsulant includes: a cycloaliphatic epoxide; an organic hardener; a curing accelerator; and a fluxing agent wherein said cycloaliphatic epoxide includes a carbonate or carbamate group. The encapsulant can also include a filler, such as a silica filler. A method is also provided for forming the aforementioned reworkable epoxy underfills.

Abstract: A reworkable epoxy underfill is provided for use in an electronic packaged system which incorporates an integrated circuit, an organic printed wire board, and at least one eutectic solder joint formed therebetween. An exemplary embodiment of the encapsulant includes: a cycloaliphatic epoxide; an organic hardener; and a curing accelerator; wherein said cycloaliphatic epoxide includes a carbonate or carbamate group. The encapsulant can also include a filler, such as a silica filler. A method is also provided for forming the aforementioned reworkable epoxy underfills.

Abstract: An epoxy material suitable for no-flow underfilling processes with high glass transition temperature can be obtained by curing a solvent free formulation containing an epoxy resin, an organic carboxylic acid anhydride hardener, a curing accelerator, a fluxing agent, a viscosity controlling agent, a coupling agent, and a surfactant.

Abstract: A reworkable epoxy underfill encapsulant is provided for use in an electronic packaged system which incorporates an integrated circuit, an organic printed wire board, and at least one eutectic solder joint formed therebetween. A preferred embodiment of the encapsulant includes: a cycloaliphatic diepoxide; an organic hardener; a curing accelerator; a silica filler; and an additive, with the additive providing thermal reworkability to the composition. A method is also provided for forming the aforementioned reworkable epoxy underfill encapsulants.