Plasma-polymerized HMDSO coatings to adjust the silver ion release properties of Ag/polymer nanocomposites

• Published in: Journal of nanoparticle research : an interdisciplinary forum for nanoscale science and technology Vol. 15; no. 11; pp. 1 - 12
• Main Authors: Alissawi, N., Peter, T., Strunskus, T., Ebbert, C., Grundmeier, G., Faupel, F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.11.2013; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Coatings; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition by sputtering; Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; Electrochemistry; Exact sciences and technology; Inorganic Chemistry; Ions; Lasers; Low-dimensional structures (superlattices, quantum well structures, multilayers): structure, and nonelectronic properties; Mass spectrometry; Materials Science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Nanocomposites; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanoparticles; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanostructure; Nanotechnology; Optical Devices; Optical properties; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of low-dimensional, mesoscopic, and nanoscale materials and structures; Optics; Oxygen; Photonics; Physical Chemistry; Physics; Polymerization; Polymers; Polytetrafluoroethylenes; Research Paper; Silver; Spectroscopy; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin films; Water uptake; Water diffusion; Plasma-polymerized HMDSO; AgNPs; Silver ion release; RF-sputtered PTFE; ICP-MS; Antimicrobial nanostructure; EIS; PVD; Nanostructures; Coatings; Precursor; Thin films; Nanoparticles; Optical properties; Physical vapor deposition; Diffusion; Polymers; High-frequency discharges; Mass spectroscopy; Contact angle; Layer thickness; Silver; Inductively coupled plasma; Transmission electron microscopy; Nanocomposites; Morphology; Ultraviolet visible spectrum; Ionic polymerization; Sputter deposition; Nanostructured materials; Plasma deposition; Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
• ISSN: 1388-0764; 1572-896X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11051-013-2080-9

In the current work, we study the silver ion release potential and the water uptake through a SiO x C y H z -polymer which is grown from the precursor hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) in radiofrequency (RF) plasma. These layers were deposited on top of two dimensional (2D) ensembles of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with nominal thickness of 2 nm on a 20 nm RF-sputtered polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) thin film. The composition of the plasma-polymerized HMDSO barriers was varied by changing the oxygen flow during the polymerization process and their thickness was varied as well. Morphology and optical properties of the nanocomposites were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV–Visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), respectively. The concentration of the silver ions released from the nanocomposites after immersion in water for several time intervals was measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Contact angle analysis and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements were also performed and results show a strong dependence of the coatings properties and their water uptake on the oxygen content in the coating films and their thickness. Plasma polymerization with increasing the oxygen flow leads to the formation of more hydrophilic thin films with a higher Ag ion release potential. Increasing the thickness of the coatings reduced the amount of the released ions and the rate of the release process was slowed down. This indicates that by tailoring the structure and the thickness of the plasma-polymerized coating films, one can tune the silver ion release properties of Ag/polymer nanocomposites.