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Eingeladener Vortrag
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Linear segmented polyurethanes based on poly(butylene adipate)s (PBA) of different molecular weight (Mn 2000, 1000, and 600), 4,4-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and the mesogenic diol 4,4-bis-(6-hydroxyhexoxy)biphenyl (BHHBP) as well as the unsegmented polyurethane consisting of MDI/BHHBP units have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, 13C-NMR and SEC. The thermal behavior and the morphology were studied by DSC, polarizing microscopy, and DMA. The properties of the MDI-polyurethanes were discussed in relation to the BHHBP chain extended 2,4-TDI-polyurethanes and common 1,4-butanediol chain-extended MDI products. MDI polyurethanes based on PBA (Mn 2000) exhibit a glass transition temperature Tg of about -40°C independent of the hard segment content up to 50% hard segments. At higher hard segment contents increasing Tgs were observed. Polyurethanes, based on the shorter polyester soft segments PBA (Mn 1000 or 600), reveal an increase in the glass transition temperatures with growing hard segment content. The thermal transitions caused by melting of the MDI/BHHBP hard segment domains are found at 50 K higher temperatures in comparison with the analogous TDI products with mesogenic BHHBP/TDI hard segments. Shortening of the PBA chain length causes a shift of the thermal transitions to lower temperatures. Polarizing microscopy experiments indicate that liquid crystalline behavior is influenced by both the content of mesogenic hard segments and the chain length of the polyester. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Polymers synthesized with plasma techniques are very interesting materials for electronic, optic, and bio compatible applications. Thin films of plasma polymers shows a good adhesion to metals, glass, or other polymers. But the supramolecular structure, the durability, and the chemical and mechanical behavior of these polymers is poorly understood. Therefore dielectric investigations are carried out to study the dynamic behavior of the plasma polymers. As polymer system allyl alcohol/alkene is chosen to get polymers with a defined concentration of hydroxyl groups. The dielectric investigations shows several relaxation processes and a dependency of the dielectric parameters from the ratio of allyl alcohol in the polymer is observed. This results indicated that the alkene monomers were assembled continuous into the polymer matrix.
Functional groups bearing monomers were pulsed plasma polymerised with a degree of retained functional groups of 5591%. The following functional groups could be produced at a maximum of: 30 OH, 18 NH2, and 24 COOH per 100 C atoms. A plasma-initiated radical copolymerisation could also be realised using the functional group bearing monomers as a source of functionalities, olefins as chain-extenders and dienes as chemical cross-linkers. The peel strengths of Al layers on such plasma polymers were correlated to the type and density of functional groups.
The retention of chemical structure and functional groups during pulsed plasma polymerization was used for producing adhesion-promoting plasma polymer layers with high concentrations of exclusively one kind of functional groups, such as OH, NH2, or COOH. The maximum content of functional groups was 31 OH using allyl alcohol, 18 NH2 using allylamine, or 24 COOH per 100 C atoms using acrylic acid. To vary the density of functional groups, chemical co-polymerization with ethylene as 'chain-extending' co-monomer, or butadiene as 'chemical crosslinker' was initiated in the pulsed plasma. The composition of these co-polymers was investigated by XPS and IR spectroscopy. The concentrations of functional groups were measured by derivatizing with fluorine-containing reagents and using XPS. A set of plasma parameters was found to be a good compromise between a high number of functional groups and complete insolubility in water, ethanol or THF,which is needed for further chemical processing. Here, these monotype-functionalized surfaces were used in metal-polymer systems as adhesion-promoting interlayers to examine the influence of type and density of functional groups on adhesion. As expected, COOH- and OH-group-terminated interlayers showed maximum peel strengths to evaporated aluminium layers. The adhesion increased linearly with the number of OH groups to a maximum at about 27 OH per 100 C atoms. Higher concentrations of OH groups did not increase the peel strength further.
This new functionalization method consists of the deposition of very thin plasma polymer layers (20 to 100 nm) of functional group bearing monomers in pulsed plasma. With allylalcohol, a maximum of 30 OH groups per 100 C atoms was measured with a selectivity of about 90% and a significant stability at long-time exposure to air. Allylamine was used to produce primary amino groups, with a maximum of 18 NH2 groups per 100 C atoms. Side reactions were observed during the storage in air, such as oxidation of the amino groups. Carboxylic groups could be produced using acrylic acid with a maximum concentration of 24 COOH groups per 100 C atoms. The most prominent side reaction was the decarbonylation/ decarboxylation of the acid group during plasma deposition.___TAGSTART___BR___TAGEND___ The variation of the density of functional groups using the pulsed-plasma polymerization of functional-group-bearing monomers was possible by the chemically-initiated radical copolymerization with either a chain-extending monomer, such as ethylene, or a cross linker, such as butadiene, in plasma. The density of functional groups could be adjusted continuously (0 to 30 OH, 0 to 18 NH2 and 0 to 24 COOH groups per 100 C atoms).___TAGSTART___BR___TAGEND___ The successful application of these densely functionalized polymer surfaces for producing biocompatible surfaces and for use in metalpolymer composites is proposed.
Polymer surfaces were modified in low-pressure glow discharge plasmas for introduction of monotype functional groups of different type and density. For this purpose three ways are selected, (i) oxygen plasma treatment followed by wet-chemical reduction of O functional groups to OH groups, (ii) plasma bromination for introducing C - Br groups and (iii) coating by deposition of thin plasma (co-) polymerized layers of functional groups-bearing monomers with OH, NH2, COOH, epoxy etc. functionalities. Subsequently, these groups were used as anchoring points for chemical grafting of spacer molecules, oligomers, prepolymers, fluorescent labels, ionic and nucleic acid residues, employing different chemical routes. The yield in monosort functional groups at polymer surfaces ranged from 1014 (process i), 2040 (process ii) and 1831 groups per 100 C atoms (process iii) as measured by XPS after derivatization. The consumption of functional groups amounted to 4090% of all functionalities present at the surface and depended on the dimensions of grafted molecules. For infinitely variably tuning the number of functional groups process iii was performed as copolymerization of a functional group-carrying comonomer with a non-functionalized (chain-extending) comonomer.
Molecular engineering of polymer surfaces that includes the attachment of functional molecules to existing or previously generated reactive chemical groups like e.g., - OH, - NH2, or - CHO requires simple strategies and tools for the controlled generation of surface functionalities and their derivatization as well as for their identification and eventually quantification. Here, we systematically investigate the plasma-chemical surface modification of polypropylene films in combination with dansyl labeling chemistry and conventional, yet costly, XPS and highly sensitive fluorescence spectroscopy for the detection of surface groups. Based on these results, the potential of and requirements on the fluorometric characterization and quantification of surfaces functionalities are discussed.
Copolymers of acrylic acid and styrene (AA/S) were prepared by pulsed plasma deposition and their structures were studied in dependence on the duty cycle (DC) for a fixed composition of 1:1. As a result, low values of DC doses preserve the structure of monomers in the plasma deposited polymers while high DC leads to a higher degree of fragmentation and a loss in regular structure. Regarding plasma copolymerisation as a feasible method to finish surfaces with a definite number of functional groups it is necessary to characterize both, the chemical nature and the physical properties of the deposited layer. Therefore, a combination of different methods was employed for the characterization of thin plasma copolymer films (FTIR, dielectric spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)). Special attention was paid on the unambiguous identification of COOH groups at the surface after derivatization with trifluoroethanol by XPS and in the volume by FTIR. The glass transition temperature of the copolymer system is lower than that for the both plasma deposited homopolymers and increases with the DC in difference to plasma deposited poly(acrylic acid). The dielectric measurements showed that the plasma deposited films were not thermally stable and underwent an undesired post-plasma chemical reaction. The results obtained by dielectric spectroscopy are discussed in detail in comparison with the data from FTIR and XPS measurements.
Three polyethylene (PE) types with different branching structures were subjected to air, water and ethanol aerosol-assisted dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) for surface modification. Using the air DBD the incorporated oxygen concentration was found to be independent on the branching of PE in contrast to the introduction of OH groups, which was PE-2 > PE-1 > PE-3. For water-aerosol DBD the succession of OH concentration was in the order of PE-1 > PE-2 > PE-3. Ethanol aerosol-assisted DBD produced the lowest concentration of OH groups also independent on the branching of PE. The chemical nature of introduced oxygen functional groups was inspected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and assigned as C–O, >C=O/CHO/O–C–O and O=C–O.
A convenient way to overcome the chemical inertness of polyolefin surfaces is to expose them to the atmospheric air plasma of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). To improve the efficiency in formation of polar groups at the polyolefin surface, different liquids such as water and ethanol were sprayed as aerosol into the plasma zone between the powered electrode and the polyolefin surface. Both sprayed liquids as well as the polyolefin surface were simultaneously activated; thus, the formation of different functional groups at the polyolefin surface was realized. The type of aerosol-sprayed additive, exposure time, power etc. have been found to determine the efficiency with respect to introduction of polar groups.
The applicability of polymer-metal composites is mainly determined by the durability of the adhesive strength between both components. Aluminium (Al) deposited on polypropylene (PP) exemplifies different options of interface design. By deposition of plasma polymers on PP the effect of the type of the functionality was investigated. Spacer insertion was accomplished to position the functional group away from the topmost surface. A further kind of interface design involved a partial condensation of functional groups. Hydroxyl and carboxyl groups were most effective to improve adhesion in Al-PP systems. Approximately 7-10 carboxyl or 25-27 hydroxyl groups per 100 C atoms were necessary to increase the peel strength up to ~700 N/m. In this range, the failure of the composite propagated along the interface Al-tape (no peeling of the metal). Spacer molecules between surface and functional groups provoked the effect that the number of needed functional groups for maximum adhesion was strongly reduced. Linking of the functional groups resulted in non-peelable Al-PP laminates. Two adhesion tests were applied - the peel test and the centrifuge technology. For PP foils modified with chemically bonded and additionally linked silanol groups (no peeling) an adhesive strength of (2.5 ± 0.2) N/mm² was determined by centrifuge technology. XPS inspection of both fracture surfaces indicated a sub-surface failure in the polymer.
Different surface treatments of polypropylene (PP) were tested to improve the peel strength of aluminium-PP systems. Plasma exposure followed by chemical grafting of spacers with -SiOH endgroups and thin adhesion promoting layers deposited by aerosol-assisted DBD using aqu. solutions of classic polymers were compared. Both methods were effective, however, –SiOH terminated spacers effected no peeling also after ageing.
Photo-oxidative ageing of polymers under defined exposure (UV, humidity) was investigated from two points of view: a) the ageing process Starts from the topmost surface and penetrates slowly towards bulk and b) radicals play an important role among ageing. Therefore, X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy were applied to show both, the progressive incorporation of oxygen during in-situ UV irradiation (XPS) and the formation of radicals (ESR) in the polymer. The intensity of ESR Signals served as measure for radical concentration. The Validation of this correlation was checked for polyethylenes (PE) equipped with different concentrations of Hostavin N30 UV stabilizer.
The outdoor weathering of polymers is mainly due to UV radiation, water, Pollution, humidity, temperature etc. To understand the effects of weathering, simulated tests need to be undertaken in lab scale. Such tests must be quite efficient and similar to the effects of natural weathering. This paper mainly focuses on the effects of UV radiation along with humidity on LDPE.
Plasma processes are used in many fields of Science and technology. While a plasma oxygen treatment produces a broad variety of different oxygen-containing functional groups, tailored - surface functionalisation demands preset functional groups in known concentration. Due to the fact that most of plasma experiments need expensive vacuum equipment increased efforts are to observe to apply atmospheric pressure plasma processes. Thus, Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) and corona treatment of polymer foils have a long tradilion in industry to modify them for printing, laminating, adhesion promotion, etc. Thercibre, increasing interest is observed to make these atmospheric pressure processes more effeclive. Newly developed methods like plasma-printing were used for surfaces in biological and medical applications or for printed circuits.
Artificial weathering of LDPE under dry conditions (<10% of relative humidity) by UV radiation was monitored
by dielectric spectroscopy. For an apolar polymer like LDPE, dielectric study yields information
about the change in structure and dynamics of the system. The fluctuations of the polar groups which
are generated as a result of photooxidation such as carbonyl groups can be monitored as characteristic
relaxation processes like the αc or β mode. The dielectric loss characterized by typical dielectric parameters
like the activation energy and dielectric strength are strongly dependent upon changes induced
by photooxidation in the amorphous and crystalline domains. This paper discusses in detail how the foil
reached its mechanical disintegration. It was found that initial stages of weathering induce chain scission
and/or crosslinking in the amorphous domains of the polymer and the motional processes in the crystalline
regions are not affected. After this induction period, an increase in the degree of crystallization was
observed by employing differential calorimetry. The increasing crystallinity is considered as one of the
reasons for embrittlement which finally leads to the complete loss of the structural integrity.
Polystyrene (PS) spin coated thin films were modified by O2 and Ar plasma as
well as by UV irradiation treatments. The modified PS samples were compared with
plasma polymerized and commercial polystyrene. The effects of plasma (O2 and Ar) and
UV irradiation treatments on the surface and the bulk properties of the polymer layers were
discussed. The surface properties were evaluated by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and
Contact angle measurements and the bulk properties were investigated by FTIR and
dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. As a result only one second treatment time was sufficient
to modify the surface. However, this study was also dedicated to understand the effect
of plasma and plasma irradiation on the deposited layers of plasma polymers. The
dielectric measurements showed that the plasma deposited films were not thermally stable
and underwent an undesired post-plasma chemical oxidation.
Monotype functionalizations with different types of functional groups (OH, NH2, COOH) on polypropylene and poly(tetrafluoroethylene) surfaces were synthesized using pulsed plasma-initiated homo- or copolymerization of functional group-carrying monomers. The maximum concentrations of functional groups were 31 OH, 18 NH2 or 24 COOH groups per 100 C atoms using allyl alcohol, allylamine or acrylic acid respectively as the monomer. The measured peel strengths of aluminium deposits increased linearly with the concentration of functional groups. Near the maximum concentration of OH (>27 OH/100 C atoms) or at moderate concentrations of COOH groups (>10 COOH/100 C atoms), constant (maximum) peel strengths were measured due to the mechanical collapse of one component in the composite (cohesive failure). Interface failures in Al-PP composites were found with COOH, NH2 and OH groups and cohesive failures were seen when higher concentrations of COOH groups were applied (>10 COOH/100 C atoms).
The peel strength of aluminium to polypropylene and poly(tetrafluoroethylene) was determined in dependence on the type and the concentration of functional groups on the polymer surface. For this purpose the polymer surface was equipped with monotype functional groups. The first method to produce monotype functionalized surfaces was an introduction of O functional groups using an oxygen plasma treatment and converting these groups to OH groups applying a wet chemical reduction. In result of this two-step treatment the hydroxyl group concentration at the polymer surface could be increased from 34 to 1014 OH groups/100 C atoms. The second method consists in the deposition of a 150 nm adhesion-promoting layer of plasmapolymers or copolymers onto the polymer surface using the pulsed plasma technique. For that purpose functional groups carrying monomers as allyl alcohol, allylamine and acrylic acid were used. Applying the plasma-initiated copolymerization and using neutral monomers like ethylene or butadiene the concentration of the functional groups was varied.
A correlation of peel strength with the ability of forming chemical interactions between Al atoms and functional groups was found: COOH > OH >> NH2 > H(CH2CH2).
Plasmapolymerisierte Allylaminschichten (50 nm) wurden auf Polypropylenfolien abgeschieden. Die auf diese Weise generierte NH2-funktionalisierte Polymeroberfläche wurde mit Xanthen-Fluorophoren chemisch umgesetzt. Da die Farbstoff-gekoppelten Folien nur geringe Fluoreszenz aufwiesen, wurden zwei Wege zur möglichen Entkopplung der Farbstoffe von der Oberfläche und damit zur Erhöhung der Fluoreszenzintensität getestet. Als erstes wurde ein Spacer durch die Umsetzung der primären Aminogruppen mit Glutaraldehyd und der nachfolgenden Kettenverlängerung mit Diaminohexan eingeführt. Diese nachfolgende Reaktion ergab eine spacergebundene NH2-Oberfläche, die analog der Allylaminschicht mit den Farbstoffen umgesetzt wurde. Als weiterer Weg wurde der Zusatz einer geeigneten Käfigverbindung, des Cucurbit[6]urils, getestet. Die spacergebundenen und zusätzlich mit Cucurbituril modifizierten aminofunktionellen Oberflächen zeigten nach der Farbstoffankopplung eine verbesserte Fluoreszenzintensität.
A new concept for molecular interface design in metal-polymer systems is presented. The main features of this concept are the replacement of weak physical interactions by strong covalent bonds, the flexibilization of the interface for compensating different thermal expansions of materials by using long-chain flexible and covalently bonded spacers between the metal and the polymer as well as its design as a moisture-repellent structure for hindering diffusion of water molecules into the interface and hydrolysis of chemical bonds.
For this purpose, the main task was to develop plasmachemical and chemical techniques for equipping polymer surfaces with monotype functional groups of adjustable concentration. The establishing of monotype functional groups allows grafting the functional groups by spacer molecules by applying usual wet-chemical reactions. Four processes were favoured for production of monotype functional groups by highly selective reactions: the plasma bromination, the plasma deposition of plasma polymers, the post-plasma chemical reduction of O-functionalities to OH-groups, and the chemical replacement of bromine groups by NH2-groups. The grafting of flexible organic molecules as spacers between the metal layer and polymer improved the peel strength of the metal. To obtain maximal peel strength of aluminium coatings to polypropylene films and occurrence of cohesive failure in the polypropylene substrate, about 27 OH groups per 100 C-atoms or 6 COOH groups per 100 C-atoms were needed. Introducing C6-11-aliphatic spacers 1 OH or COOH group per 100 C-atoms contributed about 60% of the maximal peel strength of the Al-PP system, i.e. 2 or 3 spacer molecules per 100 C-atoms were sufficient for maximal peel strength.
The production of chemically-defined plasma polymers and the introduction of monotype functional groups onto polymer surfaces are described. One method is to lower the energetic level of low-pressure plasmas. Pressure- and plasma-pulsed plasmas were successfully tested for the production of chemically-defined plasma polymers by increasing the monomer supply during the plasma-off period. Well-defined ultra-thin polymer films with regular structure were deposited from atmospheric plasmas by electrospray techniques. Post-plasma wet-chemical processing was also applied, as were gas/liquid-based aerosols and underwater plasmas.
A straightforward strategy toward the sensitive fluorometric detection of primary amino groups on plasma-chemically modified polypropylene supports is presented, exploiting the transformation of the sterically nonhindered pyrylium dye Py-1 into its pyridinium counterpart. The reaction-induced blue-shifted absorption and emission bands and an increased fluorescence quantum yield provide the basis for the spectroscopic distinction between covalently bound and free, that is, nonspecifically adsorbed label molecules. With this label, for the first time, plasma-chemically introduced amino functionalities could be monitored on the surface of a polymer film employing fluorescence spectroscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy.
Copolymers of acrylic acid and styrene (AA/S) were prepared by pulsed plasma deposition technique. Their structure–property relationships were studied in dependence on the comonomer ratio. Both, the regularity of the structure and the composition of the thin copolymer films were investigated by bulk-sensitive (dielectric spectroscopy, FTIR, and differential scanning calorimetry) as well as surface-sensitive methods such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). For an unambiguous identification of the functionality of the deposited films the COOH groups were estimated by derivatization with trifluoroethanol and subsequent XPS measurement as well as by the quantitative analysis of the FTIR data. As a result, the concentration of COOH groups on the surface and in the bulk is increasing with the fraction of AA in precursor mixture in a non-monotonous way but similar to the dependence obtained by conventional free radical polymerization.
The potential of spectrofluorometry and fluorescence microscopy for the characterization and quantification of different functionalities like OH and NH2 groups at plasma-chemically modified polymer surfaces is assessed using traditional reactive dyes such as dansyl derivatives and a sophisticated VIS-excitable chromogenic and fluorogenic pyrylium label showing binding-induced spectral and intensity changes in absorption and emission. Aiming at an improved fluorometric surface analysis, based upon these measurements, several sources of uncertainty inherent to fluorescence measurements are illustrated ranging from environment-dependent dye absorption and emission features over spectral correction and nonspecific adsorption to the critical influence of label choice on the measured background. Solutions to these drawbacks are given thereby underlining the potential of fluorometry for surface analysis.
A first inter-laboratory comparison was conducted to demonstrate and document the capability of interested laboratories to measure the fraction of C—OH species on a plasma oxidised poly(propylene) sample by using a chemical derivatisation XPS approach. This report presents the results from that inter-laboratory comparison and includes the data received for the measured values and their associated standard deviations of laboratory means, at a 95% confidence level. The measurements were guided by a protocol developed within the group before and summarised shortly in the paper. Standard deviations that may characterise the state-of-the-art for the nominally simple and rather often practised case of TFAA chemical derivatisation XPS of C—OH species on a plasma oxidised polyolefin surface are calculated following ISO 5725-2:1994. The main conclusion is that the associated degree of equivalence reached by the participating laboratories in this comparison is still low. Further research to improve chemical derivatisation XPS protocols is mandatory.
Aerosol-based DBD - a simple way to provide polymers with functional groups for adhesion promotion
(2010)
In this paper the preparation of silicon and titanium oxide thin films using an atmospheric pressure plasma process will be reported. To obtain these oxide films hexamethyldisiloxane and titanium tetraisopropoxide were used as precursor materials. Based on the different chemical reaction mechanisms the film deposition processes were carried out in the direct as well as in the remote PACVD mode. The deposition parameters were varied and the influence on different film properties was studied. The deposited oxide films were characterised by profilometry, ellipsometry, SEM, UV-VIS-NIR-transmission measurements. FT-IR spectroscopy and contact angle measurements. Additionally, first results will be presented concerning the creation of composite films using a combination of plasma and liquid dye nebulization technique.
Standardised conventional adhesion tests are time-consuming single-sample tests. Moreover, except for the pull-off test, all these tests provide only qualitative or semi-quantitative (ranking, respectively measurement of an adhesion-correlated quantity) information on adhesion. Sometimes, adhesion is evaluated even under compressive stress conditions (e.g. cross-cut and scratch test), which itself is a contradiction to adhesive strength as defined in terms of tensile force per area.
For optical coatings it has been shown that the pull-off test in a centrifuge is definitely a promising alternative with respect to the reliable, fast and quantitative determination of adhesive strength in N/mm2. The force-controlled centrifuge test is the only multiple-sample test which provides reliable quantitative information on the adhesive strength in agreement with DIN EN 15870 and DIN EN ISO 4624 on a statistical basis for up to eight samples simultaneously tested under identical testing conditions.
Aerosol-based DBD - A simple way to provide polymers with functional groups for adhesion promotion
(2013)
Polypropylene (PP) foils were exposed to the plasma of an atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in presence of different aerosols. Pure liquids such as water, ethanol, and 1/1 mixtures ethanol/water (v/v) or aqueous Solutions of acetic acid, poly(acrylic acid), poly(vinyl alcohol), and ethylene glycolpoly(vinyl alcohol) copolymer were introduced into the DBD. Surface composition, the number of functional groups per 100 C atoms, and water contact angles were correlated with the energy density of DBD plasma exposure.
The wettability of the treated surfaces was investigated for different storage times. Peel strength of the thermally deposited aluminum layer to modified polymer surfaces revealed that the aerosol introduction strongly improves the adhesion between aluminum and polypropylene.
Multiple-sample approach: reliable ranking and validated statistics of bonding and adhesive strength
(2014)
Bonding strength of adhesive-bonded joints and adhesive strength of coatings have been exclusively determined in
single-sample tests using a tensile testing machine. Necessarily, the single-sample approach was also applied to the
corresponding bonding procedure. As a consequence, reliability and reproducibility of results were restricted. By
applying the newly introduced centrifuge technology, the multiple-sample approach was realized for simultaneous
tensile testing of up to eight samples under identical conditions without any disturbing shear-force effects. In order to
introduce the multiple-sample approach into the bonding procedure, a hydraulic bonding set-up was developed which
enables identical bonding pressure also for slightly different heights of sample assemblies. Both sample approaches
were compared for various application examples: ranking of different classes of adhesives, validated statistics of
adhesive-bonded joints using one particular adhesive and effects of cleaning and plasma-treatment on the adhesive
strength of coatings. The investigated systems included glass, metals and polymer substrates, different adhesives,
metallic and dielectric coatings on polymers.
Multiple-sample approach: reliable ranking and validated statistics of bonding and adhesive strength
(2014)
Bonding strength of adhesive-bonded joints and adhesive strength of coatings have been exclusively determined in single-sample tests using a tensile testing machine. Necessarily, the single-sample approach was also applied to the corresponding bonding procedure. As a consequence, reliability and reproducibility of results were restricted. By applying the newly introduced centrifuge technology, the multiple-sample approach was realized for simultaneous tensile testing of up to eight samples under identical conditions without any disturbing shear-force effects. In order to introduce the multiple-sample approach into the bonding procedure, a hydraulic bonding set-up was developed which enables identical bonding pressure also for slightly different heights of sample assemblies. Both sample approaches were compared for various application examples: ranking of different classes of adhesives, validated statistics of adhesive-bonded joints using one particular adhesive and effects of cleaning and plasma-treatment on the adhesive strength of coatings. The investigated systems included glass, metals and polymer substrates, different adhesives, metallic and dielectric coatings on polymers.
Response of linear, branched or crosslinked polyethylene structures on the attack of oxygen plasma
(2014)
Linear, branched and crosslinked polyethylenes (PE) were exposed to the low-pressure oxygen plasma for 2–120 s. In the following the samples were washed with solvents to remove low-molecular weight oxidized material and to excavate the subjacent polymer structure for microscopic characterization. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements provided information about changes in elemental composition and chemical structure of PE after plasma exposure and washing. The calculation of the concentration of tertiary C atoms using XPS data was a measure of branches and crosslinking in the polymer before and after exposure to oxygen plasma. Linear PE was most sensitive towards oxygen plasma and showed the highest concentration in tertiary C atoms after plasma exposure. On the other hand branched PE types, which possess originally more tertiary carbon atoms, have lost two-third of them after 2 s oxygen plasma exposure. Branched PE show also topological changes at their surface as detected by atomic force microscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements confirmed strong changes in crystallinity and molecular orientation of linear PE already after 120 s exposure to the oxygen plasma interpreted as amorphization. These effects should be interpreted as result of crosslinking caused by the recombination of dangling bond sites.
Poly(ester urethane)s derived from lactide, isosorbide, terephthalic acidm abd various diisocyanates
(2014)
Isosorbide-initiated oligomerizations of ʟ-lactide were preformed in bulk using SnCl2 as catalyst. The resulting telechelic OH-terminated oligoesters were in situ subjected to simultaneous polycondensation and polyaddition with mixtures of terephthaloyl chloride and diisocyanates. Most polymerizations were conducted with 4,4'-diisocyanatodiphenyl methane and 2,4-diisocyanato toluene. The consequences of excess diisocyanate and four different catalysts were studied. The isosorbide/lactide ratio and the terephthalic acid/diisocyanate ratio were varied. Number average molecular weights up to 15 kDa with polydispersities around 3–5 were obtained. Depending on the chemical structure of the copolyester and on the feed ratio, incorporation of urethane groups may reduce or enhance the glass-transition temperature, but the thermal stability decreases dramatically regardless of composition.
For simulation and acceleration of artificial polymer ageing, polyolefin foils were exposed to low-pressure Ar plasma. Plasma particle bombardment and irradiation induce C–C and C–H bond scissions by σ→σ* excitations on the surface and in near-surface layers. Consequently, radicals are generated. They react by recombination, cross-linking, metastable trapping of the radical site or formation of olefinic double bonds. The long-living and metastable trapped C-radicals as well as double bonds in polyolefins were immediately exposed to bromine vapour without breaking the vacuum after switching-off the plasma. These reactive sites rapidly react with the molecular bromine under formation of C–Br bonds. For 5 min of argon plasma exposure, the elemental concentration of bromine was 13% for polyethylene and 22% Br/C for polypropylene as analysed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Nevertheless, not all C radical sites have reacted with bromine. Later on, when the polyolefins brought in contact with ambient air, an additional post-plasma reaction of the remaining trapped radicals with oxygen was observed. The oxygen concentrations were lower after bromine gassing, thus repressing partially the post-plasma oxidation in the analysed layer (ca. 6 nm) by radical quenching. Such bromination took place either at the surface or in near-surface layers because the Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR)-FTIR spectra (sampling depth ca. 2500 nm) did not show significant changes for argon plasma-treated PE foils with and without bromine vapour exposure. Further addition of bromine may also occur on C=C double bonds.
The dynamic glass transition (α relaxation, structural relaxation) of ultrathin polysulfone films prepared between aluminum electrodes is investigated by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. As a main result, it is found that the glass transition temperature Tg does not depend on the thickness of the polymeric layer down to a thickness of 10 nm. For thicknesses lower than 10 nm, an increase of Tg is observed. A more detailed analysis of the temperature dependence of the relaxation rates reveals that the Vogel temperature increases and the fragility decreases systematically with decreasing film thickness d. Further, the dielectric strength Δε decreases with decreasing d. This is discussed by the formation of a surface layer of adsorbed polysulfone segments having a reduced molecular mobility with regard to the time scale characteristic of the glassy dynamics of bulk polysulfone. Plotted versus inverse film thickness Δε decreases linearly with 1/d and becomes zero for an extrapolated length scale of 10 nm. From that it is concluded that the thickness of the adsorbed boundary layer is about 5 nm. Contact-angle measurements were carried out to confirm the strong interaction between aluminum and polysulfone. It is also shown that preparation details like annealing conditions strongly influence the glass transition of supported ultrathin films.
Plasma-chemical bromination has been shown to be well-suited for highly selective and efficient C–Br-functionalization of polyolefin surfaces and has now been applied to graphitic materials, including highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), natural graphite, carbon nanotubes, and graphitized carbon fibres. In contrast to the radical substitution of hydrogen by bromine at hydrogen-terminated sp3-hybridized carbon, bromination of all-carbon bound sp2-hybridized carbon in graphene requires addition to aromatic double bonds. The related change of sp2 to sp3 hybridization of the carbon atoms involved helps to explain experimental results of a loss in surface planarity on brominated HOPG. Bromine concentrations of up to 50 bromine atoms per 100 C-atoms were achieved in elemental bromine vapour under low-pressure plasma conditions using low-energetic inductively coupled radio-frequency plasma excitation. The time scale of the bromination progress was found to increase with the specific surface area of the material. The results of plasma-chemical bromination are compared to that of wet-chemical electrophilic addition reactions, which achieved 28 Br per 100 C for MWCNT. The resulting C–Br bonds from plasma-chemical processing of graphitic materials were shown to be well-suited for hydroxyl functionalization and for grafting of organic molecules by nucleophilic substitution with 1,6-diaminohexane and (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane.
Polar groups were introduced on polypropylene surfaces for increasing the surface energy and the peel strength to evaporated aluminium layers. Three kinds of plasma processes were used for introducing such functional groups to polyolefin surfaces: low-pressure radio-frequency (RF) O2 plasma exposure, atmospheric-pressure dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) treatment in air, and the deposition of allylamine plasma polymer. The amino groups of the allylamine plasma polymer were also used as anchoring points for chemical introduction of covalently bonded spacer molecules equipped with reactive endgroups. Thus, silanol endgroups of a covalently bonded spacer were able to interact with the evaporated metal layer. The Al-PP composites achieved a maximal peel strength of 470 N/m by exposing the polymer to the lowpressure O2 plasma and 500 N/m on exposure to the atmospheric DBD plasma. After allylamine plasma polymerization and grafting of spacers, the peel strength was usually higher than 1500 N/m and the composites could not be peeled.
Poly(acrylic acid) films with a thickness of about 150?nm were deposited using a pulsed plasma onto aluminum and glass. The structure/property relationships of these samples were studied in dependence to the duty cycle (DC) of the plasma by a broad combination of different techniques and probes. For the first time, volume sensitive methods (FTIR, dielectric spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry) are combined with surface analyses i.e. XPS. For an unambiguous identification of COOH groups by XPS, derivatization with trifluoroethanol was accomplished. Quantitative FTIR investigations give qualitatively a dependence of the concentration of COOH groups upon DC similar to that given by XPS investigations. The observed differences are discussed considering the different analytical depths of both methods. The dielectric measurements reveal that the structure of the plasma deposited films is different from that of the bulk material. Moreover, these measurements show also that the plasma deposited films are not thermally stable but undergo a post plasma chemical reaction during heating, where the reaction kinetics depends on DC.
Poly(allyl alcohol) films with a thickness of about 150 nm were deposited by pulse plasma polymerization onto different substrates (inorganic and organic). The structure/property relationships of these samples were studied in dependence on the duty cycle (DC) of the plasma by a broad combination of different techniques and probes. For the first time volume sensitive methods (FTIR and dielectric spectroscopy) are combined with surface analytics by employing XPS for that system. FTIR spectroscopy gives qualitatively the same dependence of the concentration of the OH groups on DC like XPS.
The observed differences are discussed considering the different analytical depths of both the methods. The dielectric measurements show that the plasma deposited films are not thermally stable but undergo a post plasma chemical reaction during heating. The results obtained by dielectric spectroscopy are discussed in detail with the data from FTIR and XPS measurements.
Polypropylene supports were functionalized by plasma-deposition of polymeric allylamine layers. The surface amino groups generated were wet-chemically reacted with xanthene dyes resulting in fluorescent polymer films. The effect of polymer-attachment of the dyes on their emission features was studied fluorometrically and different methods were tested to improve the fluorescence properties of the films. Modification with cucurbit[6]uril (CB6) yields a moderately enhanced fluorescence as well as an improved photostability. The observed effect is most likely due to CB6-induced rigidization of the linker molecules which seems to reduce fluorescence quenching dyedye and fluorophoresurface interactions.
Polyolefins are chemically inert and do not adhere well to metals, polymers or inorganics. To overcome this problem, polyolefin surfaces were modified thermally, plasmachemically, or by flame treatment with different oxygen-containing groups, however, unfortunately, such treatments were accompanied by undesired, adhesion lowering polymer degradation. To solve this dilemma, solutions of synthetic polymers and copolymers were prepared, sprayed into the barrier discharge or electrosprayed without discharge and deposited as thin adhesion-promoting layers. The deposited polymer layers from poly(vinylamine), poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(vinyl alcohol) copolymers and poly(acrylic acid) were endowed with monotype functional groups. Using the aerosol - dielectric barrier discharge only a fraction of functional groups survived the deposition process in contrast to the electrospray in which all functional groups were retained.