Nanowear in scanning force microscopy: Information on deposits formed in and downstream of a hexane plasma

Year: 2002

Authors: Dinelli F., Leggett G.J., Alexander M.R.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Manchester, Inst Sci & Technol, Dept Chem, POB 88, Manchester M60 1QD, Lancs England

Abstract: Contact mode scanning force microscopy (SFM) has been employed to induce wear in a controlled fashion on thin plasma polymerized hexane (ppHex) films. Such thin films are not readily amenable to characterization techniques such as nanoindentation, whereas the information from the outer surface that SFM provides in wear mode is ideally suited to the examination of these thin films. Nanowear of viscous ppHex films takes the form of grooves at the edges and accumulation of material in the center of the scanned area, whereas films with higher cross link density show damage uniformly across the worn area. A parameter termed the critical load is developed to enable a comparative investigation of deposits in and downstream of the plasma. Here, the critical load is defined as the load necessary to introduce a change in the topography of the scanned area in comparison to the surroundings. Films collected downstream of the plasma show viscous behavior and have a relatively low critical load independent of the deposition time. In contrast, the critical load for deposits made at the same power \”in plasma\” is found to greatly increase with increasing deposition time. This change in wear resistance with time is attributed to an increase in cross link density of the films deposited in the plasma region.

Journal/Review: JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS

Volume: 91 (6)      Pages from: 3841  to: 3846

KeyWords: POLYMER SURFACES; COATINGS; ACRYLIC-ACID; FILMS; CHEMISTRY
DOI: 10.1063/1.1446220

Citations: 9
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