Polycarbonate Substrates Research Articles

Integrated EC-SERS Chip with Uniform Nanostructured EC-SERS Active Working Electrode for Rapid Detection of Uric Acid.

Toxemia of pregnancy is a very dangerous disease for pregnant women. The mortality rate of toxemia of pregnancy is close to 10% to 15%. Early detection of pregnancy toxemia is to monitoring uric acid concentration in urine. The current mainstream method for detecting uric acid requires an enzyme (urate oxidase), which needs to be stored in a low-temperature environment, and the method requires complex chemical steps, which takes a longer time and more samples. In this study, we propose an integrated miniature three-electrode electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy chip (EC-SERS chip) suitable for rapid EC-SERS detection applications. The integrated microfluidic reservoir on the chip makes it easy to use, which is very suitable for rapid detection applications. The SERS active working electrode for the proposed integrated EC-SERS chip is a nanocone array polycarbonate (PC) substrate decorated with an evenly distributed and tightly packed array of gold nanospheres. It showed good uniformity and can be easily reproduced. The integrated EC-SERS chip is very small compared to the traditional electrochemical cell, which reduces the sample volume required for the testing. In addition, the chip is for one-time use only. It eliminates the need to clean electrochemical cells for reuse, thereby reducing the possibility of contamination and inaccurate detection. Various low-concentration Rhodamine 6G (R6G) solutions were tested to verify the performance of the developed EC-SERS chip. Experimental results showed that the proposed EC-SERS chip has a strong enhancement factor of up to 8.5 × 106 and a very good EC-SERS uniformity (the relative standard deviation of EC-SERS intensity is as low as 1.41%). The EC-SERS chip developed has been further tested for the detection of uric acid in synthetic urine. The results showed that the EC-SERS signal intensity has a highly linear relationship with the logarithm of the uric acid concentration in synthetic urine, which indicates that the developed EC-SERS chip is suitable for the quantitative detection of uric acid in synthetic urine. Therefore, the developed EC-SERS chip is very promising to be used in routine and early diagnosis of pregnancy toxemia and may be used in many other medical tests, food safety, and biotechnology applications.

Bio-inspired deposition of electrochemically exfoliated graphene layers for electrical resistance heating applications

Electrochemically exfoliated graphene (eeG) layers possess a variety of potential applications, e.g. as susceptor material for contactless induction heating in dynamic electro-magnetic fields, and as flexible and transparent electrode or resistivity heating elements. Spray coating of eeG dispersions was investigated in detail as a simple and fast method to deposit both, thin conducting layers and ring structures on polycarbonate substrates. The spray coating process was examined by systematic variation of dispersion concentration and volume applied to heated substrates. Properties of the obtained layers were characterized by UV-VIS spectroscopy, SEM and Confocal Scanning Microscopy. Electrical conductivity of eeG ring structures was measured using micro-four-point measurements. Modification of eeG with poly(dopamine) and post-thermal treatment yields in the reduction of the oxidized graphene proportion, an increase in electrical conductivity, and mechanical stabilization of the deposited thin layers. The chemical composition of modified eeG layer was analyzed via x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy pointing to the reductive behavior of poly(dopamine). Application oriented experiments demonstrate the direct electric current heating (Joule-Heating) effect of spray-coated eeG layers.

Selective Laser Decomposition of Silver Oxalate: A New Way of Preparing and Shaping Metallic Silver Patterns

A new process using the selective decomposition of silver oxalate is presented and applied to the production of transparent electrodes on a polymer substrate. It is indeed shown that the silver oxalate Ag2C2O4 can be reduced to the metallic silver state by the focused laser beam of a photolithography machine (λ = 405 nm, spot size 5 µm, power between 3 and 100 mW). Thin lines of silver of width close to 15 µm, for optimized insolation conditions, can thus be directly and easily, formed in a layer of oxalate deposited by spin coating on polycarbonate substrate. Since the metal and the oxalate are of very different chemical natures, the residual oxalate is dissolved by an ammoniacal solution without affecting the metal. The silver conductive lines have a very porous vermicular type microstructure which, however, ensures electrical conductivity. The resistive effects, which result from this not very compact filament organization, can be reduced by simply applying a uniaxial mechanical pressure perpendicular to the plane of the substrate. This operation irreversibly reduces the porosity by crushing the silver strands. One by one-centimeters samples with an electrical resistance of 10 Ω and an optical transparency of 95% (after correcting the effects of the substrate) were thus prepared. Their factor of merit expressed by (Transparency550nm)10 / Rpattern, close to 0.059 Ω−1, is at the state of the art. The selective decomposition of silver oxalates by a laser beam is therefore a very interesting way to easily make transparent conductors made of thin metallic patterns.

Design and synthesis of high-performance polymers with short perfluoroalkyl side groups using an environmentally friendly solvent

Since the polymers containing long-chain perfluoroalkyl groups (–CnF2n+1, n ≥ 8) can cause harmful impacts on the environment, it is urgent to explore environmentally friendly fluorinated polymers as alternatives. In this study, a series of novel monomers, methacrylates bearing different spacers and short-chain perfluoroalkyl groups (–CnF2n+1, n ≤ 6), were designed and synthesized. First, photopolymerizations of the monomers were examined under UV-irradiation and the polymer coatings on polycarbonate substrates were obtained by spin-coating and photopolymerization using an environmentally friendly solvent. Then, surface properties of the polymer coatings were investigated by contact angles and the results show that the hydrophobicity and oleophobicity of the polymers are highly related to their structures. When –CONH- and 1,4-phenylene moieties were incorporated into the spacer between the main chain and the perfluoroalkyl group, the hydrophobicity and oleophobicity were significantly enhanced, which is attributed to hydrogen bond and π-π interaction between the side groups. Moreover, longer perfluoroalkyl groups can lead to higher hydrophobicity and oleophobicity of the polymer coatings. The polymer containing –CONH–, 1, 4-phenylene, and –(CF2)6F possesses excellent hydrophobicity and oleophobicity, which are comparable with poly (perfluoroctylethyl methacrylate). The polymer coatings were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and polarizing optical microscopy. The results indicate that the combined effect of hydrogen bond and π-π interaction can effectively facilitate the orientation of the polymer chains to form a lamellar liquid crystalline structure, which can suppress the molecular mobility and significantly improve the surface properties of the polymers with short-chain perfluoroalkyl groups.

Out-of-plane surface patterning by subsurface processing of polymer substrates with focused ion beams.

This work explores a new technique for the out-of-plane patterning of metal thin films prefabricated on the surface of a polymer substrate. This technique is based on an ion-beam-induced material modification in the bulk of the polymer. Effects of subsurface and surface processes on the surface morphology have been studied for three polymer materials: poly(methyl methacrylate), polycarbonate, and polydimethylsiloxane, by using focused ion beam irradiation with He+, Ne+, and Ga+. Thin films of a Pt60Pd40 alloy and of pristine Au were used to compare the patterning of thin films with different microstructures. We show that the height of Pt60Pd40 thin films deposited onto poly(methyl methacrylate) and polycarbonate substrates can be patterned by He+ ion beams with ultrahigh precision (nanometers) while preserving in-plane features, at the nanoscale, of the pre-deposited films. Ion irradiation of the Au-coated samples results in delamination, bulging, and perforation of the Au film, which is attributed to the accumulation of gases from radiolysis at the film–substrate interface. The irradiation with Ne+ and Ga+ ions destroys the films and roughens the surface due to dominating sputtering processes. A very different behavior, resulting in the formation of complex, multiscale 3D patterns, is observed for polydimethylsiloxane samples. The roles of the metal film structure, elastic properties of the polymer substrate, and irradiation-induced mechanical strain in the patterning process are elaborated and discussed.

Durable fluorinated-SiO2/epoxy superhydrophobic coatings on polycarbonate with strong interfacial adhesion enhanced by solvent-induced crystallization

In this study, we designed mechanically and chemically robust superhydrophobic coatings with strong interfacial adhesion with polycarbonate (PC) substrates by dripping an acetone solution containing fluorinated silica (F-SiO2) nanoparticles and epoxy resin. It was found that the acetone-induced crystallization and roughening of PC leading to a firm bonding of superhydrophobic F-SiO2/epoxy coatings onto the surface of PC substrates. The coatings prepared under the optimal condition showed an excellent superhydrophobic property with a water contact angle (CA) larger than 160° and a sliding angle (SA) smaller than 2°, together with superior anti-icing performance. The coatings retained their excellent superhydrophobicity after various external mechanical damages (such as tape adhesion, knife scratch, finger wiping, and sandpaper wear) and in different corrosive environments (acidic, alkaline, and salinity solutions). Furthermore, the new coatings exhibited outstanding ability against photo-oxidative and hygrothermal aging. Therefore, it is believed that the superhydrophobic coatings prepared have the potential to satisfy the imperative requirements in many harsh outdoor applications based on PC materials.

High-performance flexible transparent p-CuI film by optimized solid iodization

High-performance flexible transparent p-CuI films were prepared on polycarbonate substrates at room temperature by combining solid iodization and vacuum thermal evaporation. The structural analysis shows that as-prepared CuI films are polycrystalline with zinc blende structure, exhibiting highly preferred oriented (1 1 1) plane. Atomic force microscope shows homogeneous surface morphology with no fissure or exfoliation. X-ray photoelectron spectra indicate that the valence state of copper is Cu+ after being completely iodinated and the calculated value of [I]/[Cu] increases as iodination time increase. The improvement of electrical performance is inseparable from the relative content of excess iodine. Moreover, the flexible p-CuI films exhibit a high average transmittance of 87.1% in the visible region with excellent conductivity of 31.7 S/cm, which shows superior performance than the other rigid p-type transparent conductors prepared at high temperatures. In particular, flexible p-CuI films also display excellent durability and flexibility in the tests of the radius of curvature and bending cycle. These results prove that the as-prepared p-CuI films have great potential in flexible and wearable electronics.

Shock Absorption Effect on Particle Fragmentation and Microstructural Features of Vacuum-Kinetic-Sprayed Al2O3 Film on Polycarbonate Substrate

As the demand for flexible devices has increased, polymers have become very promising materials for these applications because they have excellent flexibility, lightweight, and low cost. Vacuum kinetic spraying can be a good alternative technology for film fabrication on polymers as dense ceramic films can be fabricated even at room temperature without thermal degradation of the polymer substrate. However, there is a lack of understanding of the deposition process of ceramic films on a polymer substrate. In this regard, the deposition behavior and microstructural features were investigated by comparing Al2O3 particle deposition on glass and polycarbonate (PC) substrates by using simulations and experimental methods. Simulations demonstrated that hard particles were prone to penetrate or be only embedded in the soft substrate without sufficient fragmentation. This is attributed to the shock absorption effect of the substrate. Particle kinetic energy was transferred mostly to the internal energy of the soft substrate but not to particle internal energy (plasticity and/or failure), which prevents particle fragmentation. Consequently, unusual interface microstructural feature was attributed to insufficient particle fragmentation by the shock absorption of the soft substrate.

Highly crystalline metal oxide thin films on plastic substrates prepared via firing and transfer: key role of the “lost” organic underlayer

Our sol–gel transfer technique realizes highly crystalline metal oxide thin films on plastic substrates. In that technique a precursor gel film is fired at temperatures as high as 700 °C on an organic underlayer that is deposited beforehand on a single crystal silicon substrate. The resultant crystalline oxide film is transferred to a plastic substrate by heating the film on a hot plate and pressing a plastic substrate on it. The organic underlayer, which is completely lost during firing, critically facilitates the oxide film delamination from the silicon substrate. In order to answer the question how such a “lost” organic underlayer could be the key for the transfer, the effect of the underlayer thickness on the oxide film transferrability was investigated. Titania and zinc oxide precursor films were prepared by spin-coating on polyimide-polyvinylpyrrolidone and polyimide layers on Si(100) substrates, respectively, followed by firing and transfer to polycarbonate (PC) substrates. Quantitative evaluation based on image analysis demonstrated that thicker “lost” underlayers result in larger area fractions of the successfully transferred oxide films. Depth profile analyses by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy excluded the residual carbon at the film/Si(100) interface as the delamination facilitator. On the other hand, atomic force microscopic observations demonstrated that thicker “lost” underlayers create larger surface roughness on both sides of the oxide films. It was concluded that such an increase in roughness decreased the contact area and brought the anchoring effect, reducing and increasing the film/Si(100) and film/PC adhesions, respectively, which facilitates the film transfer.

High-Gain On-Chip Antenna Design on Silicon Layer With Aperture Excitation for Terahertz Applications

This letter investigates the feasibility of designing a high gain on-chip antenna on silicon technology for subterahertz applications over a wide-frequency range. High gain is achieved by exciting the antenna using an aperture fed mechanism to couple electromagnetics energy from a metal slot line, which is sandwiched between the silicon and polycarbonate substrates, to a 15-element array comprising circular and rectangular radiation patches fabricated on the top surface of the polycarbonate layer. An open ended microstrip line, which is orthogonal to the metal slot-line, is implemented on the underside of the silicon substrate. When the open ended microstrip line is excited it couples the signal to the metal slot-line which is subsequently coupled and radiated by the patch array. Measured results show the proposed on-chip antenna exhibits a reflection coefficient of less than −10 dB across 0.290–0.316 THz with a highest gain and radiation efficiency of 11.71 dBi and 70.8%, respectively, occurred at 0.3 THz. The antenna has a narrow stopband between 0.292 and 0.294 THz. The physical size of the presented subterahertz on-chip antenna is 20 × 3.5 × 0.126 mm3.

Conductive Layers Based on Silver Nanowires by Spray Coating Process

In this research, a thin film of silver nanowires (AgNWs) is made by varying the number of layers onto a polycarbonate substrate using a spray coating process. AgNWs were obtained via the polyol method using silver nitrate (AgNO3) as rare materials, Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as a reducing agent and ethylene glycol (EG) as a solvent. The coating material used is AgNWs solution with a concentration of 10% in ethanol, which has a diameter and length of 176.13 nm and 28.58 �m, respectively. The optical conductivity for third layers were 1.80 � 105 S.m−1,1.98 � 105 S.m−1, and 2.32 � 105 S.m−1 by the gap energy of 3.84 eV, 3.81 eV, and 3.79 eV at a wavelength of 550 nm. The greater the number of layers, the higher the optical conductivity. The smaller energy gap indicates that the material absorbs more energy, so the absorbance value is higher. The sheet resistance of AgNWs thin films in variations of each layer was 119.2 Ω.sq−1, 20.6 Ω.sq−1 and 4.98 Ω.sq−1. The lower the layer resistance, the higher the density of AgNWs and the thicker the layer. Based on the SEM images by cross-section technique, the thickness of AgNWs thin films obtained by 44.244 μm, 69.126 μm, and 100.028 μm for each layer. AgNWs thin films could be used as transparent conductive electrodes for optoelectronic applications.

Highly Stable and Transparent Conductive Film Realized by Semi-embedded Polydopamine/Silver Nanowire Network

The service life of transparent conductive film (TCF) is heavily relied on the stability of the conductive coating. In this study, TCF with low sheet resistance and high oxidation resistance was fabricated using a facile approach combining polydopamine (PDA) modification and silver nanowire (AgNW) vacuum assisted hot embossing(VHE) on polycarbonate (PC). The surface wettability and AgNW dispersion were enhanced by PDA modification, and the AgNW network was effectively welded and semi-embedded in PC substrate after VHE process. The special micro-structure endowed the TCF extraordinary tolerance to high temperature, humidity, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, and mechanical bending. Moreover, the TCF maintained a low sheet resistance of 15.2 Ω/sq, a high transmittance about 80 % and a low roughness about 13.3 nm. All these attributes make the TFC an ideal candidate for applications such as transparent electrode, optoelectronic device, invisible electromagnetic interference shielding, etc.

Single‐phase photo‐cross‐linkable adhesive synthesized from methacrylic acid‐grafted 1‐decene/9‐decene‐1‐ol cooligomer

AbstractThe cooligomerization of 1‐decene with 9‐decene‐1‐ol was conducted by using a Ti amine bis‐phenolate catalyst. Light‐curable adhesive was prepared by the reaction of methacryloyl chloride with the hydroxyl groups of the synthesized cooligomer, which led to the introduction of photo‐polymerizable CC double bonds into the cooligomer chains. Comonomer insertion into 1‐decene oligomeic chains and also methacryloyl chloride reaction with cooligomer were confirmed by both FT‐IR and NMR spectroscopy. Three‐point bending analysis results of cured adhesive sample (cured with blue light) showed flexural modulus and flexural strength values of 1.41 GPa and 1.66 MPa, respectively. Maximum weight loss temperature of 444°C showed high thermal stability of cured adhesive sample. In order to explore adhesion abilities of the synthesized adhesive to different substrates including polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), nylon and aluminum (Al), tensile shear bond strength, and peeling tests were conducted. Synthesized adhesive demonstrated tensile shear strength values of 1.28, 1.95, 1.10, 2.15, and 2.42 N/mm2 for PMMA, PC, PS, nylon, and Al substrates, respectively. Furthermore, obtained adhesive indicated greater tendency to polar substrates in comparison to nonpolar ones by the factor of 16–95%. Obtained results suggested a new photo‐curable adhesive with privileged features, which has capability to be used in high temperature applications.

Magnetite thin films grown on different flexible polymer substrates at room temperature: Role of antiphase boundaries in electrical and magnetic properties

Currently, there is an enormous need for flexible electronic devices given their astonishing competencies. In this view, we investigated the structural, electrical, and magnetic characterstics of magnetite (Fe3O4) thin films with a thickness of 100 nm prepared using a reactive RF sputtering technique at 300 K on polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and polythene terephthalate (PET) flexible substrates. The structural properties showed that the films grown on PC, PMMA, and PET substrates exhibited the pure form of Fe3O4 nanostructures by flowing oxygen with a flow rate of 3.5 sccm. The Verwey transition temperatures (Tv) of ∼123 K, ∼124 K, and ∼126 K; saturation magnetization (Ms) values of ∼220 emu/cm3, ∼235 emu/cm3, and ∼261 emu/cm3; and magnetoresistance (MR) values of −7.1%, −7.3%, and −7.8% under the H∥Film plane below 60 kOe at 300 K for 100-nm-thick Fe3O4 film on PC, PMMA, and PET substrates respectively were observed. These remarkable results were interpreted and the effect of antiferromagnetically (AFM) coupled antiphase boundaries (APBs) was explained, which suggested that Fe3O4/PET heterostructure can be a most promising component for flexible spintronics.

Innovative procedure for precise deposition of wrinkled hydrogel films using direct inkjet printing

This manuscript presents an inkjet-based strategy to fabricate wrinkled hydrogel surfaces with controlled characteristics (period and amplitude). For this purpose, a monomer mixture containing a crosslinking agent, a hydrophilic monomer, and a photoinitiator were deposited onto polycarbonate substrates. Upon UV irradiation and controlled drying under a vacuum atmosphere, either one-generation or hierarchical two-generation wrinkles were formed. More interestingly, the wrinkle characteristics depend on the crosslinking agent and monomer concentration in the solution so that larger wrinkles were observed in diluted solutions. Equally, the wrinkle period and amplitude also gradually grow by increasing the number of deposited layers. Atomic force microscopy was carried out to finely characterize the wrinkle dimensions as well as their eventual preferential orientation and distribution. Besides, hydrogel surfaces have been evaluated in terms of cytocompatibility, given their potential interest for biomedical applications.

Feasibility of using plastic wastes as constructed wetland substrates and potential for pharmaceuticals and personal care products removal

Each year, large amounts of plastic waste are generated and must be appropriately disposed. In this work, we studied the feasibility of using plastics as wetland substrates as an alternative plastic waste disposal method and the ability of the constructed wetland to remove pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) from contaminated water. Wetland microcosms were constructed using polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, quartz sand, and ceramsite substrates. Lake water spiked with methyl-paraben, ibuprofen, triclosan, 4-methybenzylidene camphor, carbamazepine, and 17α-ethinyl estradiol at 5 μg L−1 was continuously loaded to the microcosms with a hydraulic retention time of approximately 11 days. After 70 days, methyl-paraben, triclosan, and 4-methybenzylidene camphor were effectively removed regardless of the substrate. However, ibuprofen, carbamazepine, and 17α-ethinyl estradiol were partially removed, and the removal efficiency was the best in wetlands with ceramsite substrate. Carbamazepine was the most persistent among the tested compounds. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis revealed that ceramsite supported the highest microbial biomass per bulk volume of substrate followed by quartz sand, polycarbonate, and polyethylene terephthalate, which might be related to the PPCP removal potential of the wetland microcosms.

Surface free energy analysis of ITO/Au/ITO multilayer thin films on polycarbonate substrate by apparent contact angle measurements

A detailed surface free energy (SFE) knowledge of transparent conducting oxide (TCO)/metal/TCO electrodes is necessary for their applications related to surface wettability. However, SFE analysis of these surfaces has not been performed systematically previously. In this study, ITO and ITO/Au/ITO multilayer thin films were coated onto O2 plasma treated polycarbonate (PC) substrates by magnetron sputtering. The wettability characteristics of untreated PC, O2 plasma treated PC, ITO, Au interlayer, and ITO/Au/ITO multilayer thin films were evaluated by apparent contact angle measurements of nine different test liquids having various surface tensions. Following this, Lifshitz-van der Waals, acidic, basic, dispersive, and polar components of SFE were calculated using acid-base, geometric and harmonic mean approaches. In the present study, in which the significance of calculation methods and selected liquid pairs on SFE parameters were investigated, the effect of Au interlayer presence on SFE parameters were also evaluated simultaneously. The results showed that the total SFE values of ITO/Au/ITO multilayer thin films were found to be higher than that of ITO surface. The reasons behind this difference were discussed in terms of SFE components obtained using various liquid pairs by different methods. The results were also supported with XRD, XPS, AFM, and TEM analysis.

A novel polyether polyol contains repeating cyclohexane units and its application on reactive polyurethane adhesive

A novel polyether polyol was successfully synthesized from cyclohexene oxide (CO), propylene oxide (PO), and poly(propylene glycol) 400 through ring‐opening polymerization, catalyzed by double metal cyanide catalyst for the first time. Then, the obtained cyclohexane‐based polyether polyol (CPOL) further reacted with 4,4′‐diphenylmethane diisocyanate to form reactive polyurethane adhesive (RPUA). The thermal properties and mechanical strength of the RPUA were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and lap shear strength test. It was found that with the introduction of cyclohexane units, the glass transition temperature (Tg) and thermal stability of the RPUA increased about 122.3% and 3.32%, respectively. Besides, the lap shear strength of the RPUA prepared with the synthesized CPOL was 130.67% higher than the counterpart derived from conventional polyether polyol 2000. Furthermore, compared with RPUA‐PPG, RPUA‐CPOL also exhibited excellent lap shear strength on polycarbonate substrate even when the adhesion joints were immersed into hot water or alkaline solvent. All the above results suggest that the cyclohexane units in polyether polyol have great improvements in the thermal stability and lap shear strength of RPUA.

Simultaneously improved conductivity and adhesion of flexible AgNW networks via a simple hot lamination process

Silver nanowires (AgNWs) are remarkable components that may be able to replace indium tin oxide (ITO) as transparent electrodes. However, a common coating method can cause poor conductivity and adhesively because of the creation of randomly organized connections of Ag NWs. These problems should be overcome in AgNW networks for transparent electrodes through material and engineering approaches. In this work, novel AgNW based transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) on a flexible polycarbonate (PC) substrate, with synchronously improved adhesivity and reduced resistivity, are prepared via hot lamination process. The sheet resistance of the treated AgNW networks decreases from 100 to 12.5 Ω/sq. at optical transmittance of 94.5%. Calculation of figure of merit (FOM) displays a high value of 187, which is superior to that obtained from the flexible ITO, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and other metal nanowires. Meanwhile, the sheet resistance is almost unchanged after 30 tape tests, suggesting an outstanding adhesion of AgNW networks to the flexible substrate. In addition, the treated AgNW networks show small bending radius of 3.0 mm, indicating good flexibility. These results illustrate a promising alternative to traditional transparent conductive films for wearable electronic devices.

Surface plasma treatment (Ar/CF4) decreases biofouling on polycarbonate surfaces

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of hydrophobicity, surface chemistry and topography on bacterial and microalgal adhesion. To this end, the effects of surface plasma treatments (argon (Ar) and tetrafluorocarbon (CF4)) of polycarbonate substrates on bioadhesion were investigated in vitro. Surfaces were characterized by goniometry, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Two marine bacterial strains, a hydrophobic Pseudoalteromonas sp. 5M6 and a hydrophilic Paracoccus sp. 4M6, and two microalgae (Cylindrotheca closterium and Porphyridium purpureum) involved in marine biofouling were selected. Their adhesion onto the substrates was observed and quantified using confocal laser scanning microscopy–microfluidic flow cells. It was demonstrated that the combination of three parameters – namely, surface energy, fluorination and nanotopography – significantly decreases the adhesion of three microorganisms out of four (Pseudoalteromonas sp. 5M6, C. closterium and P. purpureum), whereas one parameter on its own is insufficient.