Abstract
Plasma polymers are micro-, or more commonly, nano-sized coatings that can be deposited on a variety of substrates through different approaches. The versatility of these polymers is incremented by the possibility to use other precursors than conventional polymerization reactions and by potential changes in the polymerization mechanisms according to the intrinsic physical and chemical properties of the plasma. That flexibility offers a fruitful ground to a great range of scientific and engineering fields, but it also brings many challenges for universalization of empirical observations. In this review, the use of different precursors, substrates and changes in plasma external parameters were evaluated as common, but not necessarily ideal nor exhaustive, variables for the analysis of mechanical properties of plasma polymer films. The commonly reported trends are complemented with the exceptions, and a variety of hypothesis drawn by the empirical observations are shown. The techniques and methods used for determining the mechanical properties of plasma polymers, the effect of post-treatments on them and some applications are evaluated. Finally, a general conclusion highlighting the challenges of the field is provided.Article highlightsThe mechanical properties of plasma polymers are evaluated as a function of selected parameters.The techniques of characterization of mechanical properties of plasma polymers are summarized.A discussion of future and current demands for the analysis of mechanical properties of plasma polymers is done.
Highlights
Plasma polymers can be synthetized in a great variety of structures which are often far from the ones of the precursors used [1–4]
The plasma polymers need to be resistant to ageing, oxidation and/or shrinkage, and their mechanical properties are a key requirement for their use
The goal of this review is to provide to the readers the state of the art on the mechanical properties of plasma polymers, justified by an increasing interested on them for specific applications
Summary
Plasma polymers can be synthetized in a great variety of structures which are often far from the ones of the precursors used [1–4]. The plasma polymers need to be resistant to ageing, oxidation and/or shrinkage, and their mechanical properties are a key requirement for their use Because of their unique (micro)structure, their large surface-to-volume ratio, their reduced dimensions, and the constraints caused by the substrate [14], plasma polymers have different mechanical properties from those of bulk materials [15]. Depending on the nature of the substrate, the boundary can be sharp and well-defined or broader and more diffuse leading to gradients of properties These different scenarios offer practical advantages but can lead to significant drawbacks in some cases. This is one of the reasons why some efforts should be made on understanding the relationships between microstructure of plasma polymers and mechanical properties at different scales (micro to macro).
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