PROFESSOR MICHAEL S. SILVERSTEIN
Personal Background
Academic Degrees
1983 BASc, Honours Engineering Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
1988 DSc, Chemical Engineering, Technion – ITT
Research Interests
Porous Polymers and Hybrids Nanoporous Low-k Dielectrics
Nanoscale Phase-Separated Polymeric Systems Polymeric Precursors for Functional Ceramics Polymer-Based Nanocomposites
Plasma Polymerization
Polymers for Microelectronic Applications Conductive Polymer Blends and Coatings Surface Modification of Polymers
Polymer Membranes
Nanoscale Blends and Interpenetrating Polymer Networks
Honors and Awards
1995 Technion: Gutwirth Research Award
1991/1992 Technion: Rubloff Scholar
1990/1991 Technion: Rubloff Scholar
1985 Technion: Gutwirt Fellowship for Outstanding Achievement
1988 Technion: Kennedy-Lee Award for Doctoral Studies
1986 Technion: Gutwirt Fellowship for Outstanding Achievement
1982 University of Toronto: Undergraduate Scholarship Award
Graduate Students: over 20
Presentations at International Conferences: over 110
Patents
“Plasma-deposited polymer ablatable by visible laser radiation, its production, and integrated circuits coated with it”
Applicant: Chip Express Corp., USA
Inventors: M. Janai, Y. Cassuto, M. S. Silverstein United States Patent: 6,255,718 (July 3, 2001)
PCT/US96/02920 International Application WO 9627212
List of Recent Publications
1. M. S. Silverstein, Y. Najary, G. S. Grader, G. E. Shter, “Complex Formation and Degradation in Poly(Acrylonitrile–co-Vinyl Acetate) Containing Copper Nitrate”, J. Polym. Sci. B: Polym. Phys., 42, 1023 (2004).
2. M. S. Silverstein, Y. Najary, Y. Lumelski, I. von Lampe, G. S. Grader and G. E. Shter, “Complex Formation and Degradation in Poly(Acrylonitrile-co-Vinyl Acetate) Containing Metal Nitrates”, Polymer, 45, 937 (2004).
3. S. Dubinsky, G. S. Grader, G. E. Shter, and M. S. Silverstein, “Thermal Degradation of Poly(Acrylic Acid) Containing Copper Nitrate”, Polym. Degrad. Stab., 86, 171 (2004).
4. Y. Sergienko, H. Tai, M. Narkis and M.S. Silverstein, “Polymerized High Internal Phase Emulsions Containing a Porogen: Specific Surface Area and Sorption”, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 94, 2233–2239 (2004).
5. M. Narkis, M. Shach-Caplan, Y. Haba and M. S. Silverstein, “PVC Modification through Polymerization of a Monomer Absorbed in Porous Suspension-type PVC Particles”, J. Vinyl Addit. Technol., 10(3), 109-120 (2004).
6. S. Dubinsky, Y. Lumelsky, G. S. Grader, G. E. Shter and M. S. Silverstein, “Thermal degradation of poly(acrylic acid) containing metal nitrates and the formation of YBCO”, J. Polym. Sci. B: Polym. Phys., 43, 1168 (2005).
7. M. S. Silverstein, M. Shach-Caplan, B. J. Bauer, R. C. Hedden and H.-J. Lee and B. G. Landes, “Nanopore formation in a polyphenylene low-k dielectric”, Macromolecules, 38, 4301 (2005).
8. M. S. Silverstein, H. Tai, A. Sergienko, Y. Lumelsky and S. Pavlovsky, “PolyHIPE: IPNs, hybrids, nanoscale porosity, silica monoliths and ICP-based sensors”, Polymer, 46, 6682 (2005).
9. M. S. Silverstein, B. J. Bauer, R. C. Hedden and H.-J. Lee and B. G. Landes, “SANS and XRR Porosimetry of a Polyphenylene Low-k Dielectric”, Macromolecules, 39, 2998 (2006).
10. M. Shach-Caplan, M. S. Silverstein, H. Bianco-Peled, N. V. Tsarevsky, B. M. Cooper and K. Matyjaszewski, “Nanoscale structure of SAN-PEO-SAN triblock copolymers synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization”, Polymer, 47, 6673 (2006).
11. Y. Lumelsky and M. S. Silverstein, “The degradation of novolak containing metal nitrates and the formation of YBCO”, Journal of Materials Science, 41, 8202 (2006).
12. N. Amir, A. Levina, and M. S. Silverstein, “Copolymerization of a Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane and Methyl Methacrylate: Molecular Structure and Thermal Degradation”, J. Polym. Sci. A: Polym. Chem., 45, 4264 (2007).
13. S. Livshin and M. S. Silverstein, “Crystallinity in Crosslinked Porous Polymers from High Internal Phase Emulsions”, Macromolecules, 40, 6349 (2007).
15. J. Normatov and M. S. Silverstein, “Silsesquioxane-Crosslinked Porous Nanocomposites Synthesized within High Internal Phase Emulsions”, Macromolecules, 40, 8329 (2007).
16. O. Kulygin and M. S. Silverstein, “Porous Poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) Hydrogels Synthesized within High Internal Phase Emulsions”, Soft Matter, 2, 1525 (2007).
17. M. S. Silverstein, M. Shach-Caplan, M. Khristosov, and T. Harel, “Effects of Plasma Exposure on SiCOH and MSQ Films”, Plasma Processes & Polymers, 4, 789 (2007).
18. D. J. Siegwart, W. Wu, M. Mandalaywala, M. Tamir, T. Sarbu, M. S. Silverstein, T. Kowalewski, J. O. Hollinger, and K. Matyjaszewski, “Solvent Induced Morphologies of Poly(methyl methacrylate-b-ethylene oxide-b-methyl methacrylate) Triblock Copolymers Synthesized by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization”, Polymer, 48, 7279 (2007).
19. Y. Greenberg, Y. Lumelsky, M. S. Silverstein, and E. Zussman, “Synthesis of YBCO Nanofibers by Electrospinning a Solution of Poly(acrylic acid) and Metal Nitrates”, Journal of Materials Science, 42, 1664, (2008).
20. J. Normatov and M. S. Silverstein, “Interconnected Silsesquioxane-Organic Networks in Porous Nanocomposites Synthesized within High Internal Phase Emulsions”, Chemistry of Materials, 20, 1571 (2008).
21. J. Lumeslky, J. Zoldan, S. Levenberg, and M. S. Silverstein, “Porous Polycaprolactone-Polystyrene Semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Networks Synthesized within High Internal Phase Emulsion Polymers”, Macromolecules, 41, 1469 (2008) .
22. J. Normatov and M. S. Silverstein, “Porous Elastomer-Silsesquioxane Nanocomposites Synthesized within High Internal Phase Emulsions”, J. Polym. Sci. A: Polym. Chem., 46, 2357 (2008).
23. S. Livshin and M. S. Silverstein, “Crystallinity and Cross-linking in Porous Polymers Synthesized from Long Side Chain Monomers through Emulsion Templating”, Macromolecules, in press, 2008. DOI: 10.1021/ma800195w
24. P. Thangadurai, Y. Lumelsky, M. S. Silverstein, and W. D. Kaplan, “TEM Specimen Preparation of Semiconductor-PMMA-Metal Interfaces”, Materials Characterization, in press, 2008. DOI: 10.1016/j.matchar.2008.02.007
Abstracts
SANS and XRR porosimetry of a polyphenylene low-k dielectric
M. S. Silverstein, B. J. Bauer, R. C. Hedden and H.-J. Lee and B. G. Landes
Macromolecules 39, 2998, 2006
Nanometer-scale porosity is being introduced into low-k dielectrics in an attempt to achieve inter-level metal insulators with permittivities less than 2.0. It has proven extremely difficult to describe pore formation and to characterize the porous structure. This work investigates pore formation in a polyphenylene low-k dielectric based on pyrolysis of a porogen (27 vol %) in a polyphenylene matrix. One unique aspect presented here is the characterization of the nanoscale structure at various stages of pore formation through the use of a deuterated porogen. The combination of X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and small- angle neutron scattering (SANS) is found to be a powerful technique for describing porogen degradation and pore formation in nanoporous materials. The average radius of the porogen domains was approximately 60 Å with a relatively broad size distribution. During degradation the smaller porogen domains collapse, while the larger domains yield stable pores. This collapse of the relatively large number of smaller domains results in a significant reduction in film thickness, a porosity that is significantly smaller than the porogen content, a pore size distribution that is narrower than the porogen domain size distribution, and an average pore size of approximately 80 Å.
Nanoscale structure of SAN-PEO-SAN triblock copolymers synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization
M. Shach-Caplan, M. S. Silverstein, H. Bianco-Peled, N. V. Tsarevsky, B. M. Cooper and K. Matyjaszewski
Polymer 47, 6673, 2006
The degradation of novolak containing metal nitrates and the formation of YBCO
Y. Lumelsky and M. S. Silverstein
Journal of Materials Science 41, 8202, 2006
Polymers that form a complex with metal ions from nitrate salts can be used to prepare precursors for the production of high temperature superconductor(HTSC) ceramics that can be processed using advantageous polymer processing techniques and then pyrolyzed. This paper describes the production of HTSC from a precursor based on m-cresol formaldehyde novolak resin (mCFNR) that contains yttrium, barium and copper nitrate salts in the proportions needed for the formation of YBa2Cu3O7–x (YBCO).The degradation of the precursor and the effects of the pyrolysis process (temperature, time, environment, substrate) were studied in detail. The mechanisms of degradation for mCFNR and for the HTSC precursors were significantly different with the precursor degradation beginning at significantly lower temperatures. The optimal pyrolysis begins in an inert atmosphere to hinder BaCO3 formation and then continues in oxygen to 950
o C. A dense orthorhombic YBCO film with preferential [001] orientation results from topotaxial growth on SrTiO3.
Copolymerization of a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane and methyl methacrylate: Molecular structure and thermal degradation
N. Amir, A. Levina, and M. S. Silverstein
J. Polym. Sci. A: Polym. Chem. 45, 4264, 2007
The mechanical properties and thermal stability of polymers can be enhanced through the formation of nanocomposites. Nanocomposites consisting of hybrid copolymers of methacrylcyclohexyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS-1) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) with up to 92 wt % (51 mol %) POSS-1 and with superior thermal properties were synthesized using solution polymerization. The POSS-1 contents of the copolymers were similar to or slightly higher than those in the feeds, the polydispersity indices were relatively low, and the degree of polymerization decreased with increasing POSS-1 content. POSS-1 enhanced the thermal stability, increasing the degradation temperature, reducing the mass loss, and preventing PMMA-like degradation from propagating along the chain. The mass loss was reduced in a high POSS-1 content copolymer since the polymerization of POSS-1 with itself reduced sublimation. Exposure to 450 8oC produced cyclohexyl-POSS-like remnants in the POSS-1 monomer and in all the copolymers. The degradation of these remnants, for the copolymers and for the POSS-1 monomer, yielded 75% SiO2 and an oxidized carbonaceous residue.
Crystallinity in crosslinked porous polymers from high internal phase emulsions
S. Livshin and M. S. Silverstein
Macromolecules 40, 6349, 2007
PolyHIPE are cross-linked, highly interconnected porous polymers with unique multiscale, open pore structures that are based on high internal phase emulsions (HIPE). This work is the first to describe crystallinity in polyHIPE. This novel crystallinity was achieved by using monomers with
n-alkyl side chains (acrylates and methacrylates). Such crystallinity in polyHIPE could potentially
acrylate vs methacrylate, long side chains vs short side chains), the higher the melting point (Tm) and the higher the crystallinity. Only the polyHIPE based on an acrylate with a relatively long (C18) side chain exhibited a significant proportion of its melting peak above room temperature and exhibited a significant heat of melting.
Porous interpenetrating network hybrids synthesized within high internal phase emulsions
J. Normatov and M. S. Silverstein
Polymer 48, 6648, 2007
‘PolyHIPE’ are porous polymers from the polymerization of monomers and crosslinking co-monomers in the continuous phase of high internal phase emulsions (HIPE). Elastomeric polyHIPE have been reinforced through the synthesis of nanocomposites using several different routes including the addition of co-monomers such as vinyltrialkoxysilane, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) bearing vinyl groups, or vinyl silsesquioxane (VSQ). This paper describes the synthesis, structure, and properties of hybrid polyHIPE with interpenetrating polymer / inorganic networks synthesized by adding tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) to the monomers. The HIPE becomes unstable on addition of 14 mol% TEOS and the resulting polyHIPE contains voids hundreds of micrometers in diameter. On addition of 25 mol% TEOS the large voids become coated with a brittle Si-O shell as the TEOS migrates to the interface between the organic and aqueous phases. In general, the increases in tan delta peak temperature, tan delta peak breadth, and room temperature modulus with increasing TEOS content are similar to those observed with POSS and VSQ. Unlike the polyHIPE containing vinyltrialkoxysilane, POSS, or VSQ, pyrolysis of these hybrid polyHIPE did not yield porous inorganic monoliths.
Silsesquioxane-crosslinked porous nanocomposites synthesized within high internal phase emulsions
J. Normatov and M. S. Silverstein
Macromolecules 40, 8329, 2007
Porous poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) hydrogels synthesized within high internal phase emulsions
O. Kulygin and M. S. Silverstein
Soft Matter 2, 1525, 2007
Hydrogels, such as those based on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA), are hydrophilic three dimensional network structures that undergo extensive swelling in water. PolyHIPEs are highly porous, crosslinked polymers typically synthesized within high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs). This research describes materials with enhanced water absorption that combine hydrogel water absorption with capillary action by synthesizing PHEMA-based polyHIPEs within oil-in-water HIPEs. The variation in the N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (MBAM) crosslinking comonomer content yields a narrow synthesis window in which water-swollen microgel particles phase separate, agglomerate, and form a heterogeneous polyHIPE wall structure with nanoscale porosity. Surprisingly, a hydrogel polyHIPE with a relatively high MBAM content also had the highest surface area and the highest water absorption. Ultimately, it is the influence of the MBAM content on the polymer hydrophilicity and on the porous structure that determines its effects on the properties.
Effects of plasma exposure on SiCOH and MSQ films
M. S. Silverstein, M. Shach-Caplan, M. Khristosov, and T. Harel
Plasma Processes & Polymers 4, 789, 2007
Solvent induced morphologies of poly(methyl methacrylate-b-ethylene oxide-b-methyl methacrylate) triblock copolymers synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization
D. J. Siegwart, W. Wu, M. Mandalaywala, M. Tamir, T. Sarbu, M. S. Silverstein, T. Kowalewski, J. O. Hollinger, and K. Matyjaszewski
Polymer 48, 7279, 2007
