Nanoporous SiOx plasma polymer films as carrier for liquid‐infused surfaces

Abstract

Liquid-infused surfaces are based upon the infusion of a liquid phase into a porous solid material to induce slippery and repellent character. In this context, porous SiOx plasma polymer films represent a relevant candidate for a robust nanoporous carrier layer. Intermittent low-pressure plasma etching of O 2 /hexamethyldisiloxane-derived coatings is investigated to enhance the intrinsic porosity inherent to residual hydrocarbons in the silica matrix. Simulations of the resulting Si-O ring network structure using reactive molecular dynamics indicate formation of interconnected voids with Si-OH functionalized pore walls allowing water penetration with almost Fickian diffusive behavior. The corresponding porosity of up to 18%, well agreeing with simulations, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and ellipsometry measurements, was found to be suitable for the liquid infusion of polyethylene glycol molecules into about 80 nm thick SiOx films providing ongoing lubricating properties, thus revealing their suitability as liquid-infused surfaces.

PECVD and PEALD on polymer substrates (part II): Understanding and tuning of barrier and membrane properties of thin films

“…[ 53,54 ] In this way, simulated and experimental porosities were found to agree well with each other for amorphous silica, hydrogenated amorphous silica, and nanoporous hydrogenated amorphous silica. [ 55 ] Another way to address this issue is to perform MD simulations in the isothermal‐isobaric ensemble [ 56,57 ] or via the Monte Carlo method in the grand‐canonical ensemble, that is, with variable particle numbers. [ 58,59 ] However, this is only possible when using classical MD since the necessary timescales render it unfeasible for AIMD simulations.…”

Near-Plasma Chemical Surface Engineering

“…On the one hand, the activation of poly (tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) surfaces to enhance wettability has been considered. On the other hand, cycles of polymerization and etching alternately using Ar/O 2 /HMDSO and Ar/O 2 plasmas to obtain highly porous SiOx coatings have been further optimized [ 29 ]. In contrast to other strategies for lowering the effect of energetic particles, in the presented approach, as portrayed in Figure 1 , the mesh is located just millimeters above the sample.…”

Antibiofouling Slippery Liquid Impregnated Pulsed Plasma Poly(styrene) Surfaces

“…[49][50][51] Plasmachemical deposition has previously been used to produce liquid-impregnated porous coatings for slippery applications. [52,53] More recently, slippery surfaces have been fabricated utilizing favorable intermolecular aromaticaliphatic interactions, for example between pulsed plasma deposited poly(styrene) nanocoatings and impregnated oils. [54][55][56] Aromatic-aliphatic liquid impregnated slippery surfaces negate the requirement for porous structures associated with conventional SLIPS (Slippery Liquid Infused Porous Surfaces), which can be costly and complex to fabricate.…”