Abstract
This work investigates the possibility to prepare PEO-like plasma polymers by using an AC surface dielectric barrier discharge in argon with admixtures of di(ethylene glycol) monovinyl ether vapors at atmospheric pressure. The surface discharge was driven in an amplitude-modulated regime with a driving AC frequency of 5 kHz with a variable discharge duty cycle of 0.2-0.8.
Deposition of plasma polymers was tested for variable argon flow rate of 0.5-2 slm and for various distances between the discharge electrode surface and deposition substrates. The measurements of electro-optical discharge characteristics and infrared analysis of deposited films were performed to fix suitable deposition conditions.
Best retention of PEO-like character was obtained for the following conditions: the distance between substrates and discharge surface of 3 mm, argon flow rate of 1 slm, excitation AC high voltage of 2.2 kV (peak-to-peak) and discharge duty cycle of 0.4.