Planar ICP Assisted One-Step Synthesis of pH-Responsive PDEAEMA Polymer Thin Films

Smart polymers have attracted significant scientific interest in recent years because of their capability to modify their physical and/or chemical properties in response to external stimuli, including temperature, pH, and electric or magnetic fields. Poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDEAEMA) is a pH-responsive polymer with significant potential for biomedical applications. Significant research has focused on the synthesis of PDEAEMA polymers given their potential in smart polymer applications. In this study, PDEAEMA thin films were synthesized via a planar inductively coupled plasma (ICP) system at 13.56 MHz in both continuous and pulsed modes. The effects of substrate temperature, plasma power, and plasma pulse off time on polymer surfaces were systematically studied. The deposited polymer films were analyzed for their chemical composition and structural properties using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Additionally, the plasma environment was analyzed using Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES). Results indicated that polymers prepared under pulsed plasma conditions more closely retained the structure of the monomer. Moreover, the deposition rate increased as the plasma pulse off time decreased in pulsed mode experiments. PDEAEMA-based copolymer films were deposited to investigate their behavior under different pH conditions. The results indicate that the films exhibited distinct responses in acidic and basic environments.