Surface modification of polyethylene naphthalate substrates by ultraviolet light-irradiation and assembling multilayers and their application in electroless deposition: The chemical and physical properties of the stratified structure

Abstract

Electroless metal deposition on polymer surface is useful for fabricating metallic patterns. The surfaces of polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrates were modified by ultraviolet (UV) light -irradiation and layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolyte multilayer thin films, and then nickel and copper films were electrolessly deposited on the substrate surfaces to form the stratified structure, PEN-substrate/multilayer/metal-film. The chemical and physical properties of the modified layer in the substrate surfaces were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, nanoindentation test, and measuring contact angle. The properties of the UV-irradiated surface layer depended on the condition of surface modification and affected the adhesion of the deposited metal film. Adhesive nickel films were deposited on the UV (254 nm)-irradiated PEN substrates that have thin modified layers compatible with the multilayers. In contrast, no adhesive nickel films were deposited on the substrate surfaces having thicker and fragile modified layers. These contrasting results are originated from the oxygenation and crosslinking of the polymer chains in the substrate surface layers, and reactive species formed by the UV irradiation induce the oxygenation and crosslinking. The properties of the modified substrate-surface play an important role for depositing adhesive metal films.