Polymer Functionalization and Thin Film Deposition by Remote Cold Nitrogen Plasma Process

Modification of polymer surfaces by cold plasma processes is attracting a growing interest. Especially, the use of plasma gases such as N-2, O-2 or air, which are cheap and environmentally safe, is very attractive from an industrial point of view. The lifetime of atomic oxygen being very short, it is very difficult to operate with air or oxygen plasma when wide plasma volume is required. However, it is possible to obtain cold remote nitrogen plasma reaching volume of several m(3) due to the long lifetime of atomic nitrogen because of a re-dissociation mechanism. Moreover, the temperature being close to the ambient makes this plasma very attractive for functionalization and/or coating of polymer surfaces. Several applications of this plasma process are presented in this paper. The incorporation of new chemical functions during the treatment of polymers leads to an increase of their adhesion properties. Several industrial applications (painting, sticking, bonding, foaming and thermo-covering) are presented. The ability of this remote plasma to decompose, to polymerize, or to react with a volatile chemical component is described through three examples involving polymer substrates: (i) the deposition of metallic films; (ii) the synthesis of a nitride film combining hardness and elastic behavior; (iii) the synthesis of an organosilicon film showing interesting barrier properties. Adhesion aspects are investigated for all these examples. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2008