Characterization of plasma polymerized polypropylene coatings

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Plasma Physics

Background:

• Low-pressure plasma polymerization is a method for creating novel polymer films.
• Understanding the properties of plasma-derived polymers is crucial for advanced applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the polymerization of propylene in a radio frequency plasma reactor.
• To characterize the structural and thermal properties of the resulting plasma polymerized propylene (PPP) films.

Main Methods:

• Propylene polymerization conducted in a radio frequency plasma reactor at low pressure.
• Solubility testing in toluene to assess crosslinking.
• Thermal analysis (Differential Scanning Calorimetry/Thermogravimetric Analysis) to determine thermal transitions.
• Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) mode for chemical characterization.

Main Results:

• Plasma polymerized propylene (PPP) films exhibited insolubility in toluene, suggesting significant crosslinking.
• Thermal analysis revealed no phase transitions up to 255°C, further supporting a highly crosslinked structure.
• FTIR-ATR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of characteristic polypropylene absorption bands, validating the polymer's identity.

Conclusions:

• The plasma polymerization process results in a highly crosslinked, insoluble polypropylene network.
• The deposited PPP material retains the chemical signature of polypropylene despite the plasma processing.
• These findings highlight the potential of plasma polymerization for creating modified polypropylenes with enhanced structural integrity.