Title: Superhydrophobic surface produced on polyimide and silicon by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition from hexamethyldisiloxane precursor

Authors: I. Nouicer; S. Sahli; M. Kihel; Z. Ziari; A. Bellel; P. Raynaud

Addresses: University Constantine 1, Laboratory of Microsystems and Instrumentation, Faculty of Technologies Sciences, 25017 Constantine, Algeria ' University Constantine 1, Laboratory of Microsystems and Instrumentation, Faculty of Technologies Sciences, 25017 Constantine, Algeria ' University Constantine 1, Laboratory of Microsystems and Instrumentation, Faculty of Technologies Sciences, 25017 Constantine, Algeria ' University Constantine 1, Laboratory of Microsystems and Instrumentation, Faculty of Technologies Sciences, 25017 Constantine, Algeria ' University Constantine 1, Laboratoire d'Etude des Matériaux Electroniques pour Applications Médicales (LEMEAMED), Faculty of Technologies Sciences, 25017 Constantine, Algeria ' Universités de Toulouse – Laboratoire Plasma et Conversion d'Energie (LAPLACE) – CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse cedex, France

Abstract: Plasma polymerisation of hexamethyldisiloxane (PPHMDSO) has been used to deposit micro- and nanostructured thin layers on silicon and polyimide substrates, using low-pressure and low-frequency plasma discharge. The effects of plasma chamber pressure and deposition time on film characteristics have been studied. Thickness, surface properties and chemical structure of the deposited thin layers were analysed by means of profilo-meter, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), static contact angle and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements. For some deposition parameters, nanopowders of different concentrations and size were observed on the elaborated thin layer surface. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis has revealed thin layers with chemical formula close to SiO_xC_yH_z, with more organic character when the chamber pressure and the deposition time were increased. Water contact angle (WCA) measurements show that increasing deposition pressure and deposition time lead to the growth of a superhydrophobic surface on both polyimide and silicon substrates, owing to the increase in the nanopowders concentration over the coated surface.

Keywords: HMDSO; plasma polymerisation; nanopowders; FTIR; SEM; water contact angle; superhydrophobicity; polyimide substrates; silicon substrates; chemical vapour deposition; CVD; hexamethyldisiloxane precursors; nanotechnology; deposition pressure; deposition time; superhydrophobic surfaces.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2015.068881

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2015 Vol.12 No.8/9, pp.597 - 607

Published online: 17 Apr 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article