AVS 53rd International Symposium
    Plasma Science and Technology Thursday Sessions
       Session PS2-ThM

Paper PS2-ThM4
Advanced Plasma Polymerization Methods to Deposit Multifunctional Coatings

Thursday, November 16, 2006, 9:00 am, Room 2011

Session: Plasmas and Polymers
Presenter: D. Hegemann, Empa, Swiss Materials Science & Technology, Switzerland
Authors: D. Hegemann, Empa, Swiss Materials Science & Technology, Switzerland
M.M. Hossain, Empa, Swiss Materials Science & Technology, Switzerland
D.J. Balazs, Empa, Swiss Materials Science & Technology, Switzerland
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Products made with the help of flexible porous webs, e.g. textiles, become more and more sophisticated and 'multifunctional'. Tailored surface modifications are required to meet customer needs and to assure a share in the market. However, conventional finishing techniques applied to textiles (dyeing, stain repellence, flame retardance, antibacterial treatments) generally use wet-chemical process steps and produce a lot of waste water. Plasma polymerization, on the other hand, as a dry and eco-friendly technology, is offering an attractive alternative to add new functionalities such as water repellence, long-term hydrophilicity, mechanical, electrical and antibacterial properties as well as biocompatibility due to the nano-scaled modification on textiles and fibers. At the same time, the bulk properties as well as the touch of the textiles remain unaffected. Of great potential are nanoporous plasma coatings which can be achieved by adjusting the deposition/etching conditions at the growing film surface. Depending on functional groups incorporated during the plasma polymerization process, permanent hydrophilic surfaces can be achieved which are mechanically stable. Moreover, dye molecules can be attached to the accessible functional groups within the plasma coatings, thus enabling substrate independent dyeing of textiles. Different other molecules might be added as well, e.g. biomolecules for enhanced cell growth. Co-sputtering of silver during plasma polymerization enables the controlled incorporation of Ag nanoparticles into a functional plasma polymer matrix in a one-step process inducing an antimicrobial activity. Hence, nanostructured, multifunctional textile surfaces can be achieved. However, suitable plasma reactors and scalable processes are required for an economical treatment of textiles. The scale-up of plasma processes is thus an important issue and is demonstrated using a continuous web coater.