Plasma polymerization on surface of material

• US 20010045351A1
• Filed: 06/22/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Kim, Ki Hwan, Choi, Won Kook, Kim, Cheol Hwan, Jung, Hyung Jin, Koh, Seok-Keun, Choi, Sung-Chang, Ha, Sam Chul
• Application Number:
  US09/887,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20010045351A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/164
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/62 Plasma-deposition of organic layers plasma deposition in general C23C14/00, C23C16/00
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/30 Deposition of compounds, mixtures or solid solutions, e.g. borides, carbides, nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/503 using dc or ac discharges
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/509 using internal electrodes

Abstract

According to the present invention, there is provided a method for surface processing by plasma polymerization of a surface of a metal by using a DC discharge plasma, comprising the steps of: positioning an anode electrode which is substantially of metal to be surface-processed and a cathode electrode in a chamber; maintaining a pressure in the chamber at a predetermined vacuum level; blowing an unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon monomer gas or a fluorine-containing monomer gas at a predetermined pressure and a non-polymerizable gas at a predetermined pressure into the chamber; and applying a voltage to the electrodes in order to obtain a DC discharge, whereby to obtain a plasma consisting of positive and negative ions and radicals generated from the unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon monomer gas or the fluorine containing monomer gas and the non-polymerizable gas, and then forming a polymer with hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity on the surface of the anode electrode by plasma deposition, and also provided a method for surface processing by plasma polymerization of a surface of a materials including a metal, a ceramic or a polymer by using an RF discharge plasma, comprising the steps of: positioning a passive electrode which is of the material to be surface-processed and an active electrode which is substantially of metal in a chamber; maintaining a pressure in the chamber at a predetermined vacuum level; blowing an unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon monomer gas or a fluorine-containing monomer gas at a predetermined pressure and a non-polymerizable gas at a predetermined pressure into the chamber; and applying a voltage to the electrodes in order to obtain an RF discharge, whereby to obtain a plasma consisting of positive and negative ions and radicals generated from the unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon monomer gas or the fluorine containing monomer gas and the non-polymerizable gas, and then forming a polymer with hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity on the surface of the passive electrode by plasma deposition.

Claims

1. A method for surface processing by plasma polymerization of a surface of a metal by using a DC discharge plasma, comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning an anode electrode which is substantially of metal to be surface-processed and a cathode electrode in a chamber;

(b) maintaining a pressure in the chamber at a predetermined vacuum level;

(c) blowing an unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon monomer gas or a fluorine-containing monomer gas at a predetermined pressure and a non-polymerizable gas at a predetermined pressure into the chamber; and

(d) applying a voltage to the electrodes in order to obtain a DC discharge, whereby to obtain a plasma consisting of positive and negative ions and radicals generated from the unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon monomer gas or the fluorine containing monomer gas and the non-polymerizable gas, and then forming a polymer with hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity on the surface of the anode electrode by plasma deposition.

3. The method for surface processing by plasma polymerization according to

claim 1

or

2

, wherein the DC discharge is performed periodically in the form of on/off pulsing during a total processing time in order to improve the hydrophilicity of the polymer.

4. The method for surface processing by plasma polymerization according to

claim 1

or

2

, wherein the polymer obtained in the step (d) is surface-processed by a plasma of at least one non-polymerizable gas selected from a group consisting of O₂, N₂, CO₂, CO, H₂O and NH₃ gas in order to improve the hydrophlicity of the polymer.

5. The method for surface processing by plasma polymerization according to

claim 4

, wherein the nonpolymerizable gas is used with an inert gas.

6. The method for surface processing by plasma polymerization according to

claim 4

, wherein in the additional plasma processing, the electrode or insulating material on which the polymer is deposited in the step (d) is used as a cathode.

7. The method for surface processing by plasma polymerization according to

claim 1

or

2

, wherein in the step (d), the polymerization process by the plasma is performed for 1 sec-2 min.

8. The method for surface processing by plasma polymerization according to

claim 7

, wherein in the step (d), the polymerization process by the plasma is performed for 5 sec-60 sec.

9. The method for surface processing by plasma polymerization according to

claim 1

or

2

, wherein the ratio of the unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon monomer gas and the non-polymerizable gas is varied whereby to vary the properties of the polymer.

10. The method for surface processing by plasma polymerization according to

claim 1

or

2

, wherein the ratio of the fluorine-containing monomer gas and the non-polymerizable gas is varied whereby to vary the properties of the polymer.

11. The method for surface processing by plasma polymerization according to

claim 10

, wherein the fluorine-containing monomer gas comprises a monomer gas consisting of C, H and F such as C₂H₂F₂, C₂HF₃ and containing at least one carbon double bond.

12. The method for surface processing by plasma polymerization according to

claim 1

or

2

, wherein the non-polymerizable gas is 0-90% of the whole gas mixture.

13. The method for surface processing by plasma polymerization according to

claim 1

or

2

, wherein the polymer is annealed at a temperature of 100 - 400 °

C. in the ambient atmosphere for 1-60 min.

20. A material having a polymer with excellent hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity is fabricated by the method of any one of the preceding claims.

21. The material according to

claim 20

, wherein the material surface has a polymer which exhibits an excellent affinity for paint.

2. A method for surface processing by plasma polymerization of a surface of an insulating material such as polymer or ceramic material by using a DC discharge plasma, comprising:

(a) positioning a metallic anode electrode and a cathode electrode in a chamber, wherein the insulating material to be surface-processed is positioned closely proximate to a surface of the metallic anode electrode;

(b) maintaining a pressure in the chamber at a predetermined vacuum level;

(c) blowing an unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon monomer gas or a fluorine-containing monomer gas at a predetermined pressure and a non-polymerizable gas at a predetermined pressure into the chamber; and

(d) applying a voltage to the electrodes in order to obtain a DC discharge, whereby to obtain a plasma consisting of positive and negative ions and radicals generated from the unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon monomer gas or the fluorine containing monomer gas and the non-polymerizable gas, and then forming a polymer with hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity on the surface of the insulating material proximate the anode electrode by plasma deposition.

14. A method for surface processing by plasma polymerization of a surface of a materials including a metal, a ceramic or a polymer by using an RF discharge plasma, comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning a passive electrode which is of the material to be surface-processed and an active electrode which is substantially of metal in a chamber;

(b) maintaining a pressure in the chamber at a predetermined vacuum level;

(c) blowing an unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon monomer gas or a fluorine-containing monomer gas at a predetermined pressure and a non-polymerizable gas at a predetermined pressure into the chamber; and

(d) applying a voltage to the electrodes in order to obtain an RF discharge, whereby to obtain a plasma consisting of positive and negative ions and radicals generated from the unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon monomer gas or the fluorine containing monomer gas and the non-polymerizable gas, and then forming a polymer with hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity on the surface of the passive electrode by plasma deposition.

15. The method for surface processing by plasma polymerization according to

claim 14

, wherein properties of the polymer are determined by the ratio of the unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon monomer gas and the non-polymerizable gas.

16. The method for surface processing by plasma polymerization according to

claim 14

, wherein properties of the polymer are determined by the ratio of the fluorine-containing monomer gas and the non-polymerizable gas.

17. The method for surface processing by plasma polymerization according to

claim 16

, wherein the fluorine-containing monomer gas comprises a monomer gas consisting of C, H and F such as C₂H₂F₂, C₂HF₃ and containing at least one double bonding of carbon.

18. The method for surface processing by plasma polymerization according to

claim 14

, wherein the polymer is annealed at a temperature of 100-400 °

C. in the ambient atmosphere for 1-60 min.

22. The material according to

claim 14

, wherein the material surface has a polymer which exhibits excellent corrosion-resistance.

19. A method for surface processing by plasma polymerization of a surface of materials including a metal, a ceramic or a polymer by using an RF discharge plasma, comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning an active electrode which is of the materials to be surface-processed and a passive electrode which is substantially of metal in a chamber;

(b) maintaining a pressure in the chamber at a predetermined vacuum level;

(c) blowing a fluorine-containing monomer gas at a predetermined pressure and a non-polymerizable gas at a predetermined pressure into the chamber; and

(d) applying a voltage to thee electrodes in order to obtain an RF discharge, whereby to obtain a plasma consisting of positive and negative ions and radicals generated from the the fluorine containing monomer gas and the non-polymerizable gas, and then forming a polymer with hydrophobicity on the surface of the active electrode by plasma deposition.