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Gold coating of polyethylene modified by argon plasma discharge
Author(s) -
Švorčík V.,
Kotál V.,
Slepička P.,
Bláhová O.,
Šutta P.,
Hnatowicz V.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.20606
Subject(s) - materials science , nanoindenter , composite material , contact angle , polyethylene , indentation hardness , coating , lamellar structure , nanoindentation , elastic modulus , microstructure
High density polyethylene (PE) was modified by argon plasma discharge and then coated with 50 nm thick gold layer. Surface morphology of as‐modified PE samples and samples coated with Au was studied using atomic force microscopy technique. The surface polarity was characterized by contact angles measured by standard goniometry. A nanoindenter was used to examine the sample's mechanical properties (hardness, elasticity modulus, scratch behavior). The Au layers were characterized using X‐ray diffraction. The plasma modification of PE leads to a strong decrease of the water contact angle, which further depends on the time elapsed after the plasma treatment. Because of plasma‐initiated ablation, a lamellar arrangement of PE polymeric chains becomes apparent on the plasma‐treated samples. The roughness of as‐modified PE decreases as a result of Au deposition. Plasma treatment increases PE microhardness but after subsequent Au deposition, both microhardness and elastic modulus decline. Scratch tests showed that while on Au‐coated pristine PE samples mainly elastic deformation was observed, on plasma‐treated and subsequently Au‐coated samples plastic deformation and mechanical deterioration played a significant role. According to the XRD analysis, Au film deposited on the modified PE should be the most stable. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 46:1326–1332, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers