Plasma Jet Mediated Reduction of Metal Salt

Abstract

We demonstrate electrodeposition where the plasma acts as both an electrolyte and electrode, to deposit metallic conductive coatings. In conventional electroplating metal ions are reduced at a working electrode with an applied electrochemical potential. Here an RF atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) is able to induce a electrochemical reduction due to the presence of free electrons. The advantage of this method is demonstrated by the ability to deposit conducting metal tracks on delicate surfaces including insulators and polymers. The small size and gaseous nature of the plasma allows deposition in difficult geometries with precise spatial control.The reduction process occurs within the plasma. As the aerosolized metal salt crystals interact with the plasma, the free electrons reduce the metal and the hydrogen combines with the anion producing a water soluble acid. The metal reduction takes place within the plasma jet, as show by varying the plasma power and determining the amount of zerovalent metal deposited. Even at low powers, <6 W, the plasma was able to fully reduce the silver, however the copper requires plasma powers of 12 W and above in order to be fully reduced. Once reduced the deposited tracks were shown to be conductive with around 20 % and around 5 % of bulk conductivity for silver and copper respectively. A sintering process occurs also within the plasma, leaving a contiguous track of fused particles of zerovalent metal producing the conducting tracks. The technique is demonstrated mainly for copper and silver, however multiple other metals were capable of being deposited. In addition to the conductivity, the track adherence was tested both using a Scotch Tape© pull test and an in-house constructed scratch test. The track was completely unaffected by the tape pull and the stylus type scratch test showed that the films were scratch resistant up to a pressure up to of 420 kg cm-2, with no measurable drop in conductivity.The APPJ is an accessible, low power, sustainable, precise electroplating device, capable of depositing pure metallic films onto a variety of surfaces. Furthermore, we demonstrate deposition on rough surfaces such as damaged fiberglass, as well as sensitive surfaces including plant tissue and pigskin, with limited damage to the surface.Figure 1. a) showing the deposition setup including nebuliser, salt solution injection, gas flow and power supply. An optical image of the APPJ during deposition operation is included, as well as Schlieren imagine showing the laminar gas flow. b) A silver Hilbert curve printed onto Kapton 0.05 mm thickness via the plasma deposition technique, in a single step process, with no sample prep or post processing. c) Copper deposited on porcine skin showing conductance as part of a LED circuit. Figure 1