Porous insulating compounds and method for making same

Claim 3

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein step (B) comprises heating the at least one organic sacrificial material to a temperature equal to or greater than the decomposition temperature of the at least one organic sacrificial material.

Claim 4

A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein during step (B) the at least one dielectric material is cured.

Claim 5

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one organic sacrificial material is filtered prior to step (A).

Claim 6

A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of: (C) depositing the at least one organic sacrificial material/dielectric material composition on a surface prior to step (B).

Claim 7

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one organic sacrificial material is at least one cyclic olefin or polymer thereof.

Claim 8

A method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the at least one cyclic olefin or polymer thereof is at least one dicyclic olefin or polymer thereof.

Claim 9

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one organic sacrificial material is at least one norbornene-type polymer.

Claim 10

A method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the norbornene-type polymer comprises repeating units of the general formula: ##STR18## wherein R 1 and R 4 independently represent hydrogen or linear or branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkyl; R 2 and R 3 independently represent hydrogen, linear or branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkyl or the groups: ##STR19## R 9 independently is hydrogen, methyl, or ethyl; R 10 , R 11 , and R 12 independently represent linear or branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkyl, linear or branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkoxy, linear or branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkyl carbonyloxy, and substituted or unsubstituted (C 6 to C 20 ) aryloxy; m is a number from 0 to 4; and n is a number from 0 to 5; and at least one of substituents R 2 and R 3 is selected from the silyl group represented by the formula set forth under Ia.

Claim 11

A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein at least one of R 10 , R 11 , or R 12 is selected from a linear or branched (C 1 to C 10 ) alkoxy group and R 9 is hydrogen.

Claim 12

A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein each of R 10 , R 11 , and R 12 are the same and are selected from methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, butoxy, and pentoxy.

Claim 13

A method as set forth in claim 11, wherein n is 0 and R 10 , R 11 , and R 12 are each ethoxy groups.

Claim 14

A method as set forth in claim 12, wherein R 2 or R 3 is a triethoxysilyl substituent.

Claim 15

A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein in Formula I above, m is preferably 0 or 1 as represented by structures Ib and Ic, respectively: ##STR20## wherein R 1 to R 4 are as previously defined and at least one of R 2 and R 3 is a silyl substituent represented by Ia.

Claim 16

A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein R 1 and R 4 taken together with the two ring carbon atoms to which they are attached comprise repeating units of the following structure: ##STR21## wherein B is a methylene group, q is a number from 2 to 6, and R 2 and R 3 are as defined above.

Claim 17

A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the norbornene-type polymer further comprises hydrocarbyl substituted polycyclic repeating units selected from units represented by Formula II below: ##STR22## wherein R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 independently represent hydrogen, linear and branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkyl, hydrocarbyl substituted and unsubstituted (C 5 to C 12 ) cycloalkyl, hydrocarbyl substituted and unsubstituted (C 6 to C 40 ) aryl, hydrocarbyl substituted and unsubstituted (C 7 to C 15 ) aralkyl, (C 3 to C 20 ) alkynyl, linear and branched (C 3 to C 20 ) alkenyl, or vinyl; any of R 5 and R 6 or R 7 and R 8 can be taken together to form a (C 1 to C 10 ) alkylidenyl group, R 5 and R 8 when taken with the two ring carbon atoms to which they are attached can represent saturated and unsaturated cyclic groups containing 4 to 12 carbon atoms or an aromatic ring containing 6 to 17 carbon atoms; and p is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4.

Claim 18

A method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the norbornene-type polymer comprises repeating units represented by Formula III below: ##STR23## wherein R 9 to R 12 independently represent a polar substituent selected from the group: --(A) n --C(O)OR", --(A) n --OR", --(A) n --OC(O)R", --(A) n --OC(O)OR", --(A) n --C(O)R", --(A) n --OC(O)C(O)OR", --(A) n --O--A'--C(O)OR", --(A) n --OC(O)--A'--C(O)OR", --(A) n --C(O)O--A'--C(O)OR", --(A) n --C(O)--A'--OR", --(A) n --C(O)O--A'--OC(O)OR", --(A) n --C(O)O--A'--O--A'--C(O)OR", --(A) n --C(O)O--A'--OC(O)C(O)OR", --(A) n --C(R") 2 CH(R")(C(O)OR"), and --(A) n --C(R") 2 CH(C(O)OR") 2 ; the moieties A and A' independently represent a divalent bridging or spacer radical selected from divalent hydrocarbon radicals, divalent cyclic hydrocarbon radicals, divalent oxygen containing radicals, and divalent cyclic ethers and cyclic diethers; and n is an integer 0 or 1.

Claim 19

A method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the at least one norbornene-type polymer comprises copolymers comprising a combination of repeating units represented by Formulae I and II, Formulae I and III, Formulae II and III or Formulae I, II and III, where Formula I is: ##STR24## wherein R 1 and R 4 independently represent hydrogen or linear or branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkyl; R 2 and R 3 independently represent hydrogen, linear or branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkyl or the groups: ##STR25## R 9 independently is hydrogen, methyl, or ethyl; R 10 , R 11 , and R 12 independently represent linear or branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkyl, linear or branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkoxy, linear or branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkyl carbonyloxy, and substituted or unsubstituted (C 6 to C 20 ) aryloxy; m is a number from 0 to 4; and n is a number from 0 to 5; and at least one of substituents R 2 and R 3 is selected from the silyl group represented by the formula set forth under Ia; Formula II is ##STR26## wherein R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 independently represent hydrogen, linear and branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkyl, hydrocarbyl substituted and unsubstituted (C 5 to C 12 ) cycloalkyl, hydrocarbyl substituted and unsubstituted (C 6 to C 40 ) aryl, hydrocarbyl substituted and unsubstituted (C 7 to C 15 ) aralkyl, (C 3 to C 20 ) alkynyl, linear and branched (C 3 to C 20 ) alkenyl, or vinyl; any of R 5 and R 6 or R 7 and R 8 can be taken together to form a (C 1 to C 10 ) alkylidenyl group, R 5 and R 8 when taken with the two ring carbon atoms to which they are attached can represent saturated and unsaturated cyclic groups containing 4 to 12 carbon atoms or an aromatic ring containing 6 to 17 carbon atoms; and p is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4; and Formula III is ##STR27## wherein R 9 to R 12 independently represent a polar substituent selected from the group: --(A) n --C(O)OR", --(A) n --OR", --(A) n --OC(O)R", --(A) n --OC(O)OR", --(A) n --C(O)R", --(A) n --OC(O)C(O)OR", --(A) n --O--A'--C(O)OR", --(A) n --OC(O)--A'--C(O)OR", --(A) n --C(O)O--A'--C(O)OR", --(A) n --C(O)--A'--OR", --(A) n --C(O)O--A'--OC(O)OR", --(A) n --C(O)O--A'--O--A'--C(O)OR", --(A) n --C(O)O--A'--OC(O)C(O)OR", --(A) n --C(R") 2 CH(R")(C(O)OR"), and --(A) n --C(R") 2 CH(C(O)OR") 2 ; the moieties A and A' independently represent a divalent bridging or spacer radical selected from divalent hydrocarbon radicals, divalent cyclic hydrocarbon radicals, divalent oxygen containing radicals, and divalent cyclic ethers and cyclic diethers; and n is an integer 0 or 1.

Claim 20

A method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the repeating units containing silyl functional groups comprise at least 1 mole percent of the polymer.

Claim 21

A method as set forth in claim 19, wherein the repeating units containing silyl functional groups comprise at least 5 mole percent of the polymer.

Claim 22

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein step (A) comprises mixing the at least one organic sacrificial material the at least one dielectric material.

Claim 23

A method as set forth in claim 21, wherein the at least one organic sacrificial material is dissolved in a solvent prior to the step of mixing the at least one organic sacrificial material with the at least one dielectric material.

Claim 24

A method as set forth in claim 22, wherein the solvent is an organic solvent.

Claim 25

A method as set forth in claim 23, wherein the solvent is an organic alcohol.

Claim 26

A method as set forth in claim 24, wherein the organic alcohol is 4-methyl-2-pentanone.

Claim 27

A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the decomposition temperature of the at least one organic sacrificial material is at least about 100° C.

Claim 28

A method as set forth in claim 26, wherein the decomposition temperature of the at least one organic sacrificial material is in the range of about 380° C. to about 450° C.

Claim 29

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pores have an average diameter of at least about 10 Angstroms.

Claim 30

A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pores have an average diameter of at least about 10 nm.

Claim 33

A method as set forth in claim 30, wherein step (C) heating the at least one sacrificial material to a temperature equal to or greater than the decomposition temperature of the at least one sacrificial material.

Claim 34

A method as set forth in claim 30, wherein steps (B) and (C) are done simultaneously by heating the at least one sacrificial material/dielectric material composition to a temperature equal to or greater than the decomposition temperature of the at least one sacrificial material.

Claim 35

A method as set forth in claim 30, wherein the at least one sacrificial material is at least one norbornene-type polymer.

Claim 36

A method as set forth in claim 33, wherein the at least one norbornene-type polymer comprises repeating units of the general formula: ##STR28## wherein R 1 and R 4 independently represent hydrogen or linear or branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkyl; R 2 and R 3 independently represent hydrogen, linear or branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkyl or the groups: ##STR29## R 9 independently is hydrogen, methyl, or ethyl; R 10 , R 11 , and R 12 independently represent linear or branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkyl, linear or branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkoxy, linear or branched (C 1 to C 20 ) alkyl carbonyloxy, and substituted or unsubstituted (C 6 to C 20 ) aryloxy; m is a number from 0 to 4; and n is a number from 0 to 5; and at least one of substituents R 2 and R 3 is selected from the silyl group represented by the formula set forth under Ia.