Thermally-Activated Pentanol Delivery from Precursor Poly(p-phenylenevinylene)s for MEMS Lubrication

The synthesis of two new polyphenylene vinylene (PPV) precursor polymers which can be thermally induced to eliminate pentanol is presented. Pentanol has recently been discovered to be a very useful lubricant in MicroElectroMechanical Systems. The utilization of the elimination reaction of precursor polymers to PPV as a small molecule delivery platform has, to the best of our knowledge, not been previously reported. The elimination reactions were examined using thermal gravimetric analysis, gas chromatography, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. Using PPV precursors allows for (1) a high loading of lubricant (one molecule per monomeric unit), (2) a platform that requires relatively high temperatures (>145 °C) to eliminate the lubricant, and (3) a non‐volatile, mechanically and chemically stable by‐product of the elimination reaction (PPV). The “on‐demand” delivery of a vapor‐phase lubricant to MicroElectoMechanical Systems (MEMS) will allow for scheduled or as‐needed lubrication of the moving components, improving the performance, reliability, and lifespan of the devices. A delivery system utilizing a newly designed microhotplate along with two new precursor poly(p‐phenylene vinylene) polymers that thermally eliminate a pentanol lubricant is described.