Abstract: Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD ) is typically considered a growth technique through which material is deposited layer-by-layer outwards from substrate surfaces. This assumption can break down in the case of polymers, which can exhibit substantial free volumes through which metalorganic ALD precursors can diffuse away from the surface into the bulk.

In this talk, I will discuss how both physical and chemical features of polymers - as well as ALD process design - can determine whether material growth occurs principally on surfaces or within the bulk. Several examples of how both surface and volume functionalizations of polymeric substrates can be used in advanced membrane materials research are enumerated, with a focus on how in-situ characterizations (spectroscopic ellipsometry, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) can enable mechanism understanding to develop novel deposition processes.