Plasma Polymerization

Plasma Polymerization aims to bridge the conceptual gap between the academic and practical approaches to plasma polymerization and highlights the significance of plasma polymerization in materials science and technology. The major topics covered are gas-phase kinetics, ionization of gases, fundamentals of polymerization, mechanism of polymer formation in plasma, competitive aspects of polymer formation and ablation, mechanism of polymer deposition, operational factors of plasma polymerization, and electrical properties of plasma polymers. This book is comprised of 11 chapters and begins with a brief overview of plasma polymerization and its growing importance for the formation of entirely new kinds of materials. The discussion then shifts to a comparison between plasma-state polymerization and plasma-induced polymerization, between plasma polymerization and graft polymerization, and between plasma polymerization and radiation polymerization. The reader is also introduced to fundamental aspects of gas-phase reactions, paying particular attention to the classical kinetic theory of gas, as well as the mechanisms of formation of polymeric materials in plasma, competitive ablation and polymer formation in plasma, and polymer deposition in plasma polymerization. The operational parameters of plasma polymerization are described and a chapter devoted to the electrical properties of plasma-polymerized thin organic films concludes the book. This book will be of interest to students and researchers of material science.

In current materials R&D, high priority is given to surface modification techniques to achieve improved surface properties for specific applications requirements. Plasma treatment and polymerization are important technologies for this purpose. This book provides a basic and thorough presentation of this subject. This is probably the first book to cover plasma treatment and polymerization for the purpose of surface modification. Chemistry, processes and applications are detailed. More than 150 figures include numerous schematics which illustrate the chemistry and processes. More than 100 tables and graphics provide useful reference data in convenient form.

Plasma Deposition, Treatment, and Etching of Polymers takes a broad look at the basic principles, the chemical processes, and the diagnostic procedures in the interaction of plasmas with polymer surfaces. This recent technology has yielded a large class of new materials offering many applications, including their use as coatings for chemical fibers and films. Additional applications include uses for the passivation of metals, the surface hardening of tools, increased biocompatibility of biomedical materials, chemical and physical sensors, and a variety of micro- and optoelectronic devices. Appeals to a broad range of industries from microelectronics to space technology Discusses a wide array of new uses for plasma polymers Provides a tutorial introduction to the field Surveys various classes of plasma polymers, their chemical and morphological properties, effects of plasma process parameters on the growth and structure of these synthetic materials, and techniques for characterization Interests scientists, engineers, and students alike

Plasma Polymer Films examines the current status of the deposition and characterization of fluorocarbon-, hydrocarbon- and silicon-containing plasma polymer films and nanocomposites, with plasma polymer matrix. It introduces plasma polymerization process diagnostics such as optical emission spectroscopy (OES, AOES), and describes special deposition techniques such as atmospheric pressure glow discharge. Important issues for applications such as degradation and stability are treated in detail, and structural characterization, basic electrical and optical properties and biomedical applications are discussed.

The aim of this book is to show how to make useful plasma polymerization processes resulting in polymeric (organic) materials - usually thin films of the desirable properties. The main emphasis is on the detailed discussion of the deposition apparatus, deposition parameters and properties of the obtained films. The historical background and the processes related to plasma polymerization are discussed. Fundamentals of plasma physics and plasma chemistry are concisely reviewed and used as a base for the explanation of plasma polymerization principles and its models. Special attention is devoted to the real plasma polymerization reactors and various polymer film deposition arrangements. Many technical details are examined including the influence of process parameters on the properties of the resulting plasma polymers. New systems based on a microwave discharge are also described. The properties of the most important plasma polymers - plasma polymerized organosilicons, halocarbons and composite metal/plasma polymers are reviewed. Finally, the applications of plasma polymers are presented, e.g. for passivation and protective coatings, lithography and optical beam recording, electrophotography, microelectronics, modifications of conventional polymer surfaces - biomedical uses, membranes, etc. Future prospects and developments in plasma polymerization e.g. for molecular electronics and other areas are also outlined.

This book presents an overview of nanostructure determination and ways to find relationships to the electronic and optical properties. The methods described can be applied to a large number of other granular metal-insulator systems and used as a guideline for characterisation and modelling. In addition, the book describes the manufacture of artificially structured nanomaterials using laser or electron-beam irradiation.

More than 99% of all visible matter in the universe occurs as highly ionized gas plasma with high energy content. Electrical low- and atmospheric-pressure plasmas are characterized by continuous source of moderate quantities of energy or enthalpy transferred predominantly as kinetic energy of electrons. Therefore, such energetically unbalanced plasmas have low gas temperature but produce sufficient energy for inelastic collisions with atoms and molecules in the gas phase, thus producing reactive species and photons, which are able to initiate all types of polymerizations or activate any surface of low reactive polymers. However, the broadly distributed energies in the plasma exceed partially the binding energies in polymers, thus initiating very often unselective reactions and polymer degradation. The intention of this book is to present new plasma processes and new plasma reactions of high selectivity and high yield. This book aims to bridge classical and plasma chemistry, particularly focusing on polymer chemistry in the bulk and on the surface under plasma exposure. The stability of surface functionalization and the qualitative and quantitative measurement of functional groups at polymer surface are featured prominently, and chemical pathways for suppressing the undesirable side effects of plasma exposure are proposed and illustrated with numerous examples. Special attention is paid to the smooth transition from inanimate polymer surfaces to modified bioactive polymer surfaces. A wide range of techniques, plasma types and applications are demonstrated.

Following an introduction to the general concept of membrane separation in Chapter 1, preparation of polymeric membranes is discussed in Chapter 2. The book then describes in Chapter 3 membrane surface activation, which is a key step in ligand immobilizations. Chapter 4 focuses on ligand immobilization techniques and the organic chemistries behind them. Chapter 5 introduces the application of affinity membrane chromatography Finally, in Chapter 6, membranes used in biosensors and gas sensors, enzymatic membranes used as biosensor, and membrane biosensor for waste water treatment will be discussed. --