Aerosol assisted depositions of polymers using an atomiser delivery system

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Surface Engineering

Background:

• Sylgard 184 is a widely used silicone elastomer.
• Developing advanced polymer films with tailored surface properties is crucial for various applications.
• Controlling surface morphology and chemistry is key to achieving desired material characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize the hydrophobicity, robustness, and antimicrobial properties of Sylgard 184 polymer films.
• To investigate the effect of aerosol droplet size on film characteristics.
• To explore the incorporation of dyes for potential antimicrobial functionality.

Main Methods:

• Deposition of Sylgard 184 polymer films via Aerosol-Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition (AACVD).
• Utilizing an atomiser delivery system with controlled droplet size (0.35 microm).
• Comparison with a misting aerosol system (45 microm) and substrate pre-treatment.

Main Results:

• Atomiser deposition resulted in smaller surface features, significantly improving hydrophobicity (water contact angle up to 169 degrees).
• Film transparency increased from approximately 10% to 65%.
• Demonstrated the first successful dye incorporation into a CVD-derived polymer film.

Conclusions:

• Optimized AACVD process using atomised droplets significantly enhances Sylgard 184 film hydrophobicity and transparency.
• Substrate pre-treatment further improves surface hydrophobicity consistency.
• The developed polymer films with incorporated dyes show potential for antimicrobial surface applications.