Surface properties of silicone release coatings

The combination of the low intermolecular forces associated with pendent groups along the polymer chain, such as alkyl and fluoroalkyl, and the unique flexibility of the siloxane backbone produces a variety of low-surface-energy silicone polymers with many coating applications. One of the most important of these is the use of silicone release coatings for pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs). The familiar polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coatings ale used to release organic PSAs and the newer fluorosilicone coatings, such as those based on polymethylnonafluorohexylsiloxane (PMNFHS), are used with fluorosilicone adhesives. The surface studies of such coatings are surveyed in this paper including surface structure, surface energetics and surface composition. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies comprise the majority of these studies.