O PROJEKTU
Šifra projekta: J2-1728
Trajanje projekta: 1. julij 2019 – 30. junij 2022
Project content
Plasma activation of polymer materials has attracted huge scientific attention in the past decade. Usually, oxygen plasma is used for functionalization of the polymer surface with polar functional groups including hydroxyl, carbonyl, peroxy, ester, carboxyl and carbonate. A variety of experimental techniques have been used to determine the type and concentration of various functional groups on the surface of various polymers; however, the most common one is X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Typically, a polymer was treated by gaseous plasma at certain conditions, exposed to the air and then analyzed by XPS under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions. Therefore, the surface functionalization is a result of synergistic effects of various plasma species and post‐treatment reactions at atmospheric pressure prior to the surface or thin film characterization under UHV conditions. Any exposure of functionalized polymer to uncontrolled ambient may cause additional, often unpredictable surface modifications. This can be avoided by in-situ plasma treatment of polymer without breaking the vacuum i.e. in the processing chamber attached to the instrument for the surface characterization. Despite the efforts of many research groups, the initial stages in formation of the surface functional groups on polymer materials are still dim and likely depend on the particular configuration of the plasma reactor and plasma parameters.
Within our project, experiments for investigation the initial evolution of the functional groups immediately after exposure of polymer to oxygen-plasma afterglow without breaking the vacuum will be performed. The scientific challenge addressed in this project is therefore determination of the type of functional group(s) that is formed initially upon exposure of selected polymers to selected reactive gaseous species (in particular neutral atoms), and the fluence of said species necessary to saturate the surface with a specific functional group.
We shall use a dedicated experimental setup consisting of i) preparation chamber which will enable adjustable density of said species in the range between about 1016 and 1020 m−3, ii) probes capable of real-time measuring of the densities, and iii) our high-resolution XPS for surface characterization. Based on the experimental setup, all experiments will be performed in-situ. The result will be a database on the functional groups formed on a polymer surface versus radical fluences (published as a monography) and several scientific papers.
PROJECT PHASES:
The project is divided into several work packages (WP):
WP1: Coordination and project management
WP2: Construction of plasma sources
WP3: Characterization of plasma radicals
WP4: Treatment of polymers and in-situ characterization
WP5: Preparation of a database and writing of monography and scientific papers
PROJECT GROUP:
Project leader: doc. dr. Manja Kurečič (SICRIS)
Participating research organizations and researchers:
University of Maribor, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
doc. dr. Manja Kurečič (SICRIS)
Jožef Stefan Institute
red. prof. dr. Miran Mozetič (SICRIS)
doc. dr. Janez Kovač (SICRIS)
ELVEZ d.o.o.
dr. Žiga Gosar (SICRIS)
INDUKTO d.o.o.
dipl. ing. Branko Petrič (SICRIS)
Project is funded by Slovenian Research Agency
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