AVS 53rd International Symposium
    Applied Surface Science Thursday Sessions
       Session AS-ThM

Paper AS-ThM3
Structure and Properties of Ultra-Thin SiO@sub 2@ Plasma Polymer Films at Polymer/Metal Interfaces

Thursday, November 16, 2006, 8:40 am, Room 2005

Session: Ultra Thin Films and Buried Interfaces
Presenter: T. Titz, Max-Planck-Institut fuer Eisenforschung, Germany
Authors: T. Titz, Max-Planck-Institut fuer Eisenforschung, Germany
K. Wapner, Max-Planck-Institut fuer Eisenforschung, Germany
G. Grundmeier, Max-Planck-Institut fuer Eisenforschung, Germany
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Thin film surface engineering is one of the key interests of the flat metal producing industry to fabricate ultra-thin functional films in a continuous process. The requirements range from corrosion protection of the surface to a specific control of the physical, optical and electronic properties of the surface. Grundmeier et al. studied in detail the nucleation and growth, wettability and barrier properties of protective plasma polymers on metals.@footnote 1-3@ In the presented work, ultra-thin silica like films have been deposited on zinc and zinc alloy model substrates by plasma polymerization in a microwave plasma reactor. The chemical composition of the films was measured by means of Fourier transform infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (FT-IRRAS) as well as X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The topography of the plasma polymer films was mapped by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Current density-potential curves for the measurement of the kinetics of the oxygen reduction and electrochemical cyclic voltammetry for the analysis of the redox properties of the plasma modified passive film were performed. Scanning Kelvin Probe studies reveal the electronic properties of the buried interface between the plasma polymer and the metal oxide interface. A clear inhibition of the ion and the electron transfer reactions at the buried interface was found even at very low film thickness. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@ G. Grundmeier, P. Thiemann, J. Carpentier, N. Shirtcliffe, M. Stratmann, Thin Solid Films, 446 (2004) 61.@footnote 2@ V. Barranco, J. Carpentier, G. Grundmeier, Electrochim. Acta, 49 (2004) 1999.@footnote 3@ G. Grundmeier, P. Thiemann, J. Carpentier, V. Barranco Surf. Coat. Tech., 174 (2003) 996.