Microstructure evolutions of thermosetting resin coating layers fabricated by electrostatic spray deposition (ESD) at various processing conditions were investigated. Two different typical polymer systems, a thermosetting phenol-formaldehyde resin and a thermoplastic polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), were employed for a comparative study. Precursor solutions of the phenol-formaldehyde resin and of the PVP were electro-sprayed on heated silicon substrates. Fundamental differences in the thermomechanical properties of the polymers resulted in distinct ways of microstructure evolution of the electro-sprayed polymer films. For the thermosetting polymer, phenol-formaldehyde resin, vertically aligned micro-rod structures developed when it was deposited by ESD under controlled processing conditions. Through extensive microstructure and thermal analyses, it was found that the vertically aligned micro-rod structures of phenol-formaldehyde resin were formed as a result of the rheological behavior of the thermosetting phenol-formaldehyde resin and the preferential landing phenomenon of the ESD method.

Due to its low density, good mechanical properties and chemical inertness, glassy carbon(GC) has been studied for appications in several fields. A raw thermosetting resin of furanic resin was polymerized with a curing agent of p-toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate. The maximum yield of GC was obtained at the curing agent content of 1.0 wt% in furanic resin. In order to make thick GC, the affect of graphite filler addition to the furanic resin was investigated. The density and electrical resitivity of GC after graphitization were 1.45 g/cm3 and 47 ×10-4 Ω · cm respectively and the amorphous structure of GC was confirmed by XRD profiles with very broad peaks comparable to those of graphite at 206˚ and 45˚.