Deposition of thin-films on EPDM substrate with a plasma-polymerized coating

作者：Alba Elias Fernando^*; Ordieres Mere Joaquin; Gonzalez Marcos Ana

来源：Surface and Coatings Technology, 2011, 206(2-3): 234-242.

DOI：10.1016/j.surfcoat.2011.06.054

• Plasma polymerization
• Silicon oxide
• Atmospheric-pressure plasma jet
• EPDM

Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) is increasingly used as a bulk material due to its characteristics, such as fabricability, low weight and low cost. The objective of the present study was to explore the characteristics of coating films that are based on tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) over an EPDM substrate with a view to improving the properties and performance of the elastomer's surface. Since EPDM is a heat-sensitive material, selected technologies for deposition are discussed. Also, there is a particular interest in using unconfined deposition systems as they are closest to what industry requires. For this reason, and because the size of components might require their use, this paper deals only with open systems. Thus, the atmospheric-pressure plasma jet system (APPJ) and the deposition of SiOx films were chosen for investigation. The effects of the treatments were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Fourier-Transform Infrared with Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and tribological tests. The specific studies that were carried out showed a clear relationship between the operating parameters of the deposition process and the film's morphological, chemical and mechanical properties. The results that were obtained showed that the properties of the coatings depend largely on the degree of decomposition that is achieved by the precursor during the gaseous phase of the plasma. The point of greatest decomposition occurs at a specific power (1200 W) and a TEOS flow rate (2 ml/min). With this particular combination of operating parameters, a coating that has a higher wear resistance and a lower coefficient of friction was obtained. According to the results of this research, one can conclude that the open air procedure that was investigated holds promise for use in coating SiOx layers on polymeric materials, especially in view of its simplicity and suitability for coating large scale substrates for industrial needs.

• 出版日期2011-10-25