Reaction of Water with (Radicals in) Plasma Polymerized Allyl Alcohol (and Formation of OH-Rich Polymer Layers)

Abstract

The pulsed plasma polymerization of allyl alcohol was employed under the aspect of maximal retention of OH groups and the formation of a regular polymer structure. It should be noted that earlier investigations on plasma polymers deposited from allyl alcohol did not show extensive postplasma addition of oxygen and water vapor from ambient air during storage, measuring the elemental O/C ratio by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).The identification of OH groups in the plasma polymerized polymer using FTIR spectroscopy was such an indicator for fragmentation. The peak area of OH groups in the film which was stored was increased by about 20% compared to that measured ("in situ"). These phenomenons reflected that moisture and O2 in air played an important role in scavenging the free radicals. The addition of water and more specifically chemical bonding of OH of water in the deposited plasma polymer may serve as an indicator for monomer fragmentation, poly recombination, and the remaining radicals responsible for film formation. Moreover, the dielectric measurements show that the plasma deposited films are not thermally stable but undergo a postplasma chemical reaction during heating, where the reaction kinetics depends on pressure.