Abstract: Thermally reworkable epoxy resins prepared through a Diels-Alder reaction are described herein. A maleimide component is reacted with an electron donating component having a furan ring attached to an epoxy ether to produce the epoxy resins. The epoxy component generated by this method can be cured with different diamines lo form a robust network of epoxy material. The robust epoxy material is used as a reversible thermoset and as an adhesive. The robust epoxy network is heated at 90° C. temperature in a retro Diels-Alder fashion to produce colorless starting materials of the maleimide component and the furan component.

Abstract: A method of making a solid composition by reacting a tetrazine component and a polymer component through an inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reaction (IEDDA). The solid composition formed by the Diels-Alder reaction is in the form of either a foam or a powder depending on the functional groups of the tetrazine component. The polymer component can be various substituted polybutadienes, mixtures of stereoisomeric polydienes, and polybutadiene copolymers. The gas produced during the reaction is nitrogen, hence, the solid composition can be considered a greener material than poiyurethanes, which involves carbon monoxide release during the course of the reaction. The aromatized polymer can act as a built in anti-oxidant with up to two hydrogen atom equivalents per dihydropyridazine group. The polymers of dihydropyridazines are converted to polymeric pyridazine groups by aromatization and the aromatic polymer becomes more stable.

Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a luminescent film that can be used with a biometric imager, which can be used to scan biometric markers, and/or to interact with the device. Upon contacting a device surface, an image of at least a portion of the touch object can be captured and used in conjunction with identification of the user and/or for input to the device. The systems or techniques, described herein, may be integrated into a portion of a device, and may comprise a luminescent layer, comprising quantum dots, that can emit photons upon contact, and an image capture component that can generate data indicative of an image of at least a portion of the touch object.

Abstract: A method for obtaining a metal oxide organic compound composite includes dissolving a hydrated yttrium chloride and an epoxide in a solvent, and obtaining a gel including the metal oxide organic compound composite.

Abstract: Methods are described for addressing the bowing and/or warping of flexible substrates, attached to a rigid carrier, which occurs as a result of the thermal challenges of semiconductor processing. In particular, viscoelastic adhesives are provided which can bond a flexible substrate to a rigid carrier and mediate the thermal mismatch which often is present due to the distinctly different materials properties of most flexible substrates, such as plastic films, with respect to rigid carriers, such as silicon wafers. Assemblies are also provided which are produced according to the methods described herein.

Abstract: The present invention provides a debonding apparatus, a system comprising such apparatus, and methods for using such apparatus or system for the removal of flexible substrates (14) post-processing without damage to fabricated devices.

Abstract: A method for obtaining a metal oxide organic compound composite includes dissolving a hydrated yttrium chloride and an epoxide in a solvent, and obtaining a gel including the metal oxide organic compound composite.

Abstract: Methods are described for addressing the bowing and/or warping of flexible substrates, attached to a rigid carrier, which occurs as a result of the thermal challenges of semiconductor processing. In particular, viscoelastic adhesives are provided which can bond a flexible substrate to a rigid carrier and mediate the thermal mismatch which often is present due to the distinctly different materials properties of most flexible substrates, such as plastic films, with respect to rigid carriers, such as silicon wafers. Assemblies are also provided which are produced according to the methods described herein.

Abstract: The present invention provides a debonding apparatus, a system comprising such apparatus, and methods for using such apparatus or system for the removal of flexible substrates (14) post-processing without damage to fabricated devices.

Abstract: The chemical composition and method of the invention enable characterization of microscopic defects in membranes such as pinholes, cracks or fissures. The present invention, however, can be used to characterize defects on different types of porous and non-porous membranes used for diverse applications in various industries. It uses brightly fluorescing silica or silsesquioxane spheres prepared with pre-determined definitive and uniform sizes (15 nm-50 microns). The spheres' uniform, controlled size allows them to be used to characterize defects or holes in membranes based on a size exclusion mechanism. The spheres used are engineered to glow brightly when exposed to ultraviolet light in order to allow visual or highly sensitive fluorescence spectroscopy or microscopy to characterize the passage of the particles through defects or holes in a membrane and even identify where the defect is located.

Abstract: Two new surfactant molecules are reported which contain thermally labile Diels-Alder adducts connecting the polar and non-polar sections of each molecule. The two surfactants possess identical non-polar dodecyl tail segments but exhibit different polar headgroups. The surfactants become soluble in water when anionic salts are formed through the deprotonation of the surfactant headgroups by the addition of potassium hydroxide. When either surfactant is exposed to temperature above about 60° C., the retro Diels-Alder reaction occurs, yielding hydrophilic and hydrophobic fragments or the aqueous solutions of the surfactants subsequently exhibit loss of all surface-active behavior.

Abstract: Two new surfactant molecules are reported which contain thermally labile Diels-Alder adducts connecting the polar and non-polar sections of each molecule. The two surfactants possess identical non-polar dodecyl tail segments but exhibit different polar headgroups. The surfactants become soluble in water when anionic salts are formed through the deprotonation of the surfactant headgroups by the addition of potassium hydroxide. When either surfactant is exposed to temperature above about 60° C., the retro Diels-Alder reaction occurs, yielding hydrophilic and hydrophobic fragments or the aqueous solutions of the surfactants subsequently exhibit loss of all surface-active behavior.

Abstract: The present invention describes surfactants of formula (I), wherein R, RN, and m are defined herein, processes for their preparation, and methods for their decomposition.

Abstract: A class of surfactant molecules whose structure includes regularly spaced unsaturation in the tail group and thus, can be readily decomposed by ring-closing metathesis, and particularly by the action of a transition metal catalyst, to form small molecule products. These small molecules are designed to have increased volatility and/or enhanced solubility as compared to the original surfactant molecule and are thus easily removed by solvent extraction or vacuum extraction at low temperature. By producing easily removable decomposition products, the surfactant molecules become particularly desirable as template structures for preparing meso- and microstructural materials with tailored properties.

Abstract: The present invention describes surfactants of formula (I), wherein R, RN, and m are defined herein, processes for their preparation, and methods for their decomposition.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present invention is directed to a method for chemically modifying 7-substituted coumarins to produce polymerizable monomers that are used to prepare photoresponsive materials. In one embodiment, 7-hydroxy-coumarin (umbelliferone) is so modified. The present invention also relates to the photoresponsive linear polymers, copolymers, and hybrid network materials produced from the polymerizable monomers, and the method for their preparation.

Abstract: Aerogel monoliths are treated with silanes or transition metal-containing reagents by chemical vapor deposition. This treatment improves the mechanical strength of the aerogel while maintaining their high surface area, low density, and porosity. When silane containing reagents are used, the transparency is generally maintained.

Abstract: Two new surfactant molecules are reported which contain thermally labile Diels-Alder adducts connecting the polar and non-polar sections of each molecule. The two surfactants possess identical non-polar dodecyl tail segments but exhibit different polar headgroups. The surfactants become soluble in water when anionic salts are formed through the deprotonation of the surfactant headgroups by the addition of potassium hydroxide. When either surfactant is exposed to temperature above about 60° C., the retro Diels-Alder reaction occurs, yielding hydrophilic and hydrophobic fragments and the aqueous solutions of the surfactants subsequently exhibit loss of all surface-active behavior.

Abstract: A method of making a thermally-removable polyurethane material by heating a mixture of a maleimide compound and a furan compound, and introducing alcohol and isocyanate functional groups, where the alcohol group and the isocyanate group reacts to form the urethane linkages and the furan compound and the maleimide compound react to form the thermally weak Diels-Alder adducts that are incorporated into the backbone of the urethane linkages during the formation of the polyurethane material at temperatures from above room temperature to less than approximately 90° C. The polyurethane material can be easily removed within approximately an hour by heating to temperatures greater than approximately 90° C. in a polar solvent. The polyurethane material can be used in protecting electronic components that may require subsequent removal of the solid material for component repair, modification or quality control.

Abstract: A method of making a thermally-removable epoxy by mixing a bis(maleimide) compound to a monomeric furan compound containing an oxirane group to form a di-epoxy mixture and then adding a curing agent at temperatures from approximately room temperature to less than approximately 90° C. to form a thermally-removable epoxy. The thermally-removable epoxy can be easily removed within approximately an hour by heating to temperatures greater than approximately 90° C. in a polar solvent. The epoxy material can be used in protecting electronic components that may require subsequent removal of the solid material for component repair, modification or quality control.