Design and operation of a rotating drum radio frequency plasma reactor for the modification of free nanoparticles

Abstract

A rotating drum rf plasma reactor was designed to functionalize the surface of nanoparticles and other unusually shaped substrates through plasma polymerization and surface modification. This proof-of-concept reactor design utilizes plasma polymerized allyl alcohol to add OH functionality to Fe2O3 nanoparticles. The reactor design is adaptable to current plasma hardware, eliminating the need for an independent reactor setup. Plasma polymerization performed on Si wafers, Fe2O3 nanoparticles supported on Si wafers, and freely rotating Fe2O3 nanoparticles demonstrated the utility of the reactor for a multitude of processes. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the surface of the substrates prior to and after plasma deposition, and scanning electron microscopy was used to verify that no extensive change in the size or shape of the nanoparticles occurred because of the rotating motion of the reactor. The reactor design was also extended to a non-depositing NH3 plasma modification system to demonstrate the reactor design is effective for multiple plasma processes.