Plasma-based introduction of monosort functional groups of different type and density onto polymer surfaces. Part 1: Behaviour of polymers exposed to oxygen plasma

Several approaches were investigated to produce monosort functionalized polymer surfaces with a high density and homogeneity of functional groups: (i) Plasma oxidation followed by wet-chemical reduction, (ii) formation of radicals and grafting on of functional group carrying molecules, (iii) plasma bromination followed by (iv) Williamson or Gabriel-like synthesis of spacer molecules, and (v) a pulsed plasma polymerization of functional groups bearing monomers or (vi) their copolymerisation with other comonomers. The formation of hydroxyl (OH), primary amino (NH₂), and carboxyl (COOH) groups was studied in detail. The oxygen plasma treatment (i) in a low-pressure non-isothermal glow discharge results in the formation of a wide variety of O functional groups, polymer degradation and crosslinking. Low power densities and short exposure times (0.1 to 2 s) are required to functionalize a surface while preserving the original polymer structure. Carbonate, ester, and aromatic groups are rapidly degraded by an oxygen plasma treatment leading to scissions of polymer backbones and loss in molecular weight. Also the formation of macrocycles and C=C bonds was observed in a region of around 4 nm in depth. The investigated polymers could be classified by their degradation behaviour on exposure to the oxygen plasma. In order to maximize the process selectivity for OH groups, the variety of oxygen functionalities formed by the oxygen plasma was wet-chemically reduced by diborane, vitride? (Na complex), and LiAlH₄. Typical yields were 9 to 14 OH groups per 100 carbon atoms. Plasma bromination (iii) (40 Br per 100 C atoms) of polymers, followed by grafting of spacer molecules (iv), has been proved to be a highly selective reaction. Another way to produce high densities of monosort functionalities was the pulsed plasma polymerization of functional group bearing monomers such as allylamine, allylalcohol or acrylic acid (v). The retention of chemical structure and functional groups during plasma polymerization was achieved by using low power densities and the pulsed plasma technique. The maximum yields were 30 OH, 18 NH₂, and 24 COOH groups per 100 C atoms. To vary the density of functional groups a chemical copolymerization with 'chain-extending' comonomers such as butadiene and ethylene was initiated in the pulsed plasma (vi). Additionally, the often-observed post-plasma oxidations of such layers initiated by reaction of trapped radicals with oxygen from the air were successfully suppressed by using NO gas as radical quencher.     

Study of carboxylic functionalization of polypropylene surface using the underwater plasma technique

Non-equilibrium solution plasma treatment of polymer surfaces in water offers the possibility of more dense and selective polymer surface functionalization in comparison to the well-known and frequently used low-pressure oxygen plasma. Functional groups are introduced when the polymer surface contacts the plasma moderated solution especially water solutions. The emission of ions, electrons, energy-rich neutrals and complexes, produced by the ion avalanche are limited by quenching, with the aid of the ambient water phase. The UV-radiation produced in plasma formation also helps to moderate the reaction solution further by producing additional excited, ionized/dissociated molecules. Thus, monotype functional groups equipped polymer surfaces, preferably OH groups, originating from the dissociated water molecules, could be produced more selectively. An interesting feature of the technique is its flexibility to use a wide variety of additives in the water phase. Another way to modify polymer surfaces is the deposition of plasma polymers carrying functional groups as carboxylic groups used in this work. Acetic acid, acrylic acid, maleic and itaconic acid were used as additive monomers. Acetic acid is not a chemically polymerizing monomer but it could polymerize by monomer/molecular fragmentation and recombination to a cross linked layer. The other monomers form preferably water-soluble polymers on a chemical way. Only the fragmented fraction of these monomers could form an insoluble coating by cross linking to substrate. The XPS analysis was used to track the alterations in –O-CO- bond percentage on the PP surface. To identify the -COOH groups on substrate surface unambiguously, which have survived the plasma polymerization process, the derivatization with trifluoroethanol was performed.     

Static ToF-SIMS analysis of plasma chemically deposited ethylene/allyl alcohol co-polymer films

A plasma co-polymerization of ethylene as a “chain extending” monomer and allyl alcohol as a carrier monomer for hydroxyl groups was studied. The composition of the feed gas was systematically varied and the plasma co-polymers were analyzed in terms of their relative concentrations of OH functional groups by static Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) immediately after their preparation without any air contact, i.e., under so called “in situ” conditions.The relative OH group concentration involved in the -CH₂-OH groups was derived from the normalized yields of the CH₃O⁺ secondary fragment ion. The density of functional groups in the plasma co-polymers was found to vary non-linearly with respect to the mole percentage of the monomers in the feed gas.Co-polymerization phenomena, i.e. chemical interactions and recombination reactions taking place between monomer molecules in the plasma and/or during the deposition process, become evident in ToF-SIMS spectra.     

Functional groups grafted nonwoven fabrics for blood filtration—The effects of functional groups and wettability on the adhesion of leukocyte and platelet

In this work, the effects of grafted functional groups and surface wettability on the adhesion of leukocyte and platelet were investigated by the method of blood filtration. The filter materials, poly(butylene terephthalate) nonwoven fabrics bearing different functional groups including hydroxyl (OH), carboxyl (COOH), sulfonic acid group (SO₃H) and zwitterionic sulfobetaine group (^⊕N((CH₃)₂)(CH₂)₃SO₃^?) with controllable wettability were prepared by UV radiation grafting vinyl monomers with these functional groups. Our results emphasized that both surface functional groups and surface wettability had significant effects on the adhesion of leukocyte and platelet. In the case of filter materials with the same wettability, leukocytes adhering to filter materials decreased in the order: the surface bearing OH only > the surface bearing both OH and COOH > the surface bearing sulfobetaine group > the surface bearing SO₃H, while platelets adhering to filter materials decreased as the following order: the surface bearing SO₃H > the surface bearing both OH and COOH > the surface bearing OH only > the surface bearing sulfobetaine group. As the wettability of filter materials increased, both leukocyte and platelet adhesion to filter materials declined, except that leukocyte adhesion to the surface bearing OH only remained unchanged.     

The aging of atmospheric plasma-treated ultrahigh-modulus polyethylene fibers

The aging effects of atmospheric plasma treatments on UHMPE fibers are studied. UHMPE fibers are treated for 0.5 and 1 min with He/O₂/air gas and for 2 and 4 min with He/air gas by atmospheric pressure plasma on a capacitively coupled device at a frequency of 5 kHz. The samples are tested for fiber/epoxy interfacial shear strength at time intervals of 0, 3, 15 and 30 days after initial plasma treatment. Scanning electron microscopy shows micro-cracks on each set of treated fibers, which is not affected by aging over the 30 day study. Interfacial shear strengths (IFSS) for plasma-treated fibers are 2–3 times as high as that of the control. The IFSS for the plasma treated fibers remains constant up to 15 days and then decreases afterwards. XPS Analysis shows a slight increase in atomic concentration of oxygen and nitrogen for each plasma-treated sample. For the He/O₂/air plasma-treated samples, XPS analysis shows an observable increase in C–OH bonds, C=O bonds and COOH bonds, while for the He/air plasma-treated samples, there is a slight increase in C–OH and O=C–O bonds. After 30 days, a decrease in oxygen content for all plasma-treated samples is manifested.     

Effects of OH concentration and temperature on NO emission characteristics of turbulent non-premixed CH4/NH3/air flames in a two-stage gas turbine like combustor at high pressure

This study examined the effects of OH concentration and temperature on the NO emission characteristics of turbulent, non-premixed methane (CH₄)/ammonia (NH₃)/air swirl flames in two-stage combustors at high pressure. Emission data were obtained using large-eddy simulations with a finite-rate chemistry method from model flames based on the energy fraction of NH₃ (E_NH3) in CH₄/NH₃ mixtures. Although NO emissions at the combustor exit were found to be significantly higher than those generated by CH₄/air and NH₃/air flames under both lean and stoichiometric primary zone conditions, these emissions could be lowered to approximately 300 ppm by employing far-rich equivalence ratios (?) of 1.3 to 1.4 in the primary zone. This effect was possibly due to the lower OH concentrations under far-rich conditions. An analysis of local flame characteristics using a newly developed mixture fraction equation for CH₄/NH₃/air flames indicated that the local temperature and NO and OH concentration distributions with local ? were qualitatively similar to those in NH₃/air flames. That is, the maximum local NO and OH concentrations appeared at local ? of 0.9, although the maximum temperature was observed at local ? of 1.0. Both the temperature and OH concentration were found to gradually decrease with the partial replacement of CH₄ with NH₃. Consequently, NO emissions from CH₄/NH₃ flames were maximized at E_NH3 in the range of 20% to 30%, after which the emissions decreased. Above 2100 K, the NO emissions from CH₄/NH₃ flames increased exponentially with temperature, which was not observed in NH₃/air flames because of the lower flame temperatures in the latter. But, the maximum NO concentration in CH₄/NH₃ flames was occurred at a temperature slightly below the maximum temperature, just as in NH₃/air flames. The apparent exponential increase in NO emissions from CH₄/NH₃ flames is attributed to a similar trend in the OH concentration at high temperatures.     

Fluorescence Spectroscopic Studies on Plasma-Chemically Modified Polymer Surfaces with Fluorophore-Labeled Functionalities

Molecular engineering of polymer surfaces that includes the attachment of functional molecules to existing or previously generated reactive chemical groups like e.g., − OH, − NH₂, or − CHO requires simple strategies and tools for the controlled generation of surface functionalities and their derivatization as well as for their identification and eventually quantification. Here, we systematically investigate the plasma-chemical surface modification of polypropylene films in combination with dansyl labeling chemistry and conventional, yet costly, XPS and highly sensitive fluorescence spectroscopy for the detection of surface groups. Based on these results, the potential of and requirements on the fluorometric characterization and quantification of surfaces functionalities are discussed.     

Self‐Assembly of Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles with Rigid and Flexible Multifunctional Linkers

The interparticle spacing of carboxyl functionalized gold nanoparticles (Au–COOH) was mediated by rigid cross‐linkers, octa(3‐aminopropyl)octasilsesquioxane (POSS–NH₃ ⁺) and poly(amidoamine) dendrimer terminated with hydroxyl groups (PAMAM–OH), and a flexible polymeric linker, poly(hexanyl viologen) (6‐VP). Regular interparticle spacing was achieved by utilizing POSS–NH₃ ⁺ and PAMAM–OH dendrimer as cross‐linkers, whereas size growth of Au–COOH was observed featuring no interparticle spacing by utilizing 6‐VP as the cross‐linker.     

Plasma polymerization investigated by the comparison of hydrocarbons and perfluorocarbons

Plasma polymerization involves to a significant extent the abstraction of atoms attached to carbons, such as hydrogen and halogen atoms, during the process of forming polymers. This abstraction reaction plays a major role in the plasma polymerization of certain groups of organic compounds. However, because of the extremely high degree of crosslinking and branching, characteristic of most plasma polymers of interest or practical value, the analysis of surfaces and/or polymers by the conventional methods is greatly hampered. Utilizing the exceptionally large chemical shifts observable in ESCA C ls spectrum of fluorcarbons, the extent of fluorine-abstraction and the rearrangement of fluorine atoms which occur during the plasma polymerization of tetrafluoroethylene were investigated using an inductive rf discharge of the monomer. The distribution of polymer deposition and the corresponding changes in properties are examined as functions of the experimental parameters. The discharge power level, which can be characterized by J/kg monomer, was found to play a predominant role in determining the physicochemical reactions which occur during the plasma polymerization. Because of the characteristic abstraction reaction which occurs in the plasma polymerization, etching by the plasma of the gas product (i.e., H₂ or F₂) plays an extremely important role in the competitive ablation and polymerization (CAP) scheme of plasma polymerization.     

Hydroxylated α-Al2O3 (0 0 0 1) surfaces and metal/α-Al2O3 (0 0 0 1) interfaces

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was applied to study the hydroxylation of α-Al₂O₃ (0 0 0 1) surfaces and the stability of surface OH groups. The evolution of interfacial chemistry of the α-Al₂O₃ (0 0 0 1) surfaces and metal/α-Al₂O₃ (0 0 0 1) interfaces are well illustrated via modifications of the surface O1s spectra. Clean hydroxylated surfaces are obtained through water- and oxygen plasma treatment at room temperature. The surface OH groups of the hydroxylated surface are very sensitive to electron beam illumination, Ar⁺ sputtering, UHV heating, and adsorption of reactive metals. The transformation of a hydroxylated surface to an Al-terminated surface occurs by high temperature annealing or Al deposition.     

Investigation of the interface between polyethylene and functionalized graphene: A computer simulation study

The effect of surface chemical functionalization of a single graphene layer on its thermodynamic work of adhesion (WA) with polyethylene (PE) chains has been investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. For this purpose, amine (NH₂), carboxyl (COOH), hydroxyl (OH), and methyl (CH₃) functional groups were distributed randomly throughout the graphene surface using a Monte Carlo (MC) algorithm to achieve graphene functionalized structures with minimized potential energies. The MD simulation results showed that the thermodynamic WA between the PE and the functionalized graphene was larger than that between the PE and the pristine graphene. In fact, the electronegativity of functional groups and Van der Waals forces play influential roles in the thermodynamic WA between the PE and the functionalized graphene. In addition, the amount of thermodynamic WA was increased with increasing the functional group surface density, except for the graphene functionalized with the methyl groups. The segmental density of the PE chains near the single sheet surface was determined based on the density profile calculation. The polymer segments exhibited strong ordering and sharp density variations near the PE/graphene interface. The dynamic of chains was quantitatively characterized by calculating mean square displacement (MSD). Furthermore, the influence of functionality on the glass transition temperature (T_g) of the PE at the PE/graphene interface region was investigated. The results showed that the T_g at the PE/graphene interface was much higher than that of the bulk polymer. In fact, the functionalization of the graphene surface seems to considerably enhance the T_g of the polymer due to lowering the chains mobility.     

Thermochemical behavior of metallic citrate precursors for the production of pure LaAlO3

Pure LaAlO₃ nanoparticles were synthesized, using a citrate-precursor technique. La(NO₃)₃, Al(NO₃)₃, and C₃H₄(OH)(COOH)₃, in a molar ratio of 1:1:4.5, were dissolved in deionized water. The pH of the aqueous solution was adjusted using NH₄OH. After drying, the citrate precursors were charred at 350 °C, followed by calcination at different temperatures. The thermochemical behavior of the charred citrate precursor to form LaAlO₃ was investigated using X-ray diffractometry, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential thermal analysis. While the charred specimen obtained at pH=2 (without NH₄OH addition) was composed of LaAl(OOCH₂)₃, the charred specimens obtained at pH>2 were composed of LaAlO_3−x−y(CO₃)_x(OH)_2y. All these metallic salts were decomposed at temperatures between 600 and 780 °C to form crystalline LaAlO₃ but calcining the specimens in air at ?800 °C were required to remove all residual chars to produce pure LaAlO₃. At 900 °C, the citrate-derived particles obtained at pH>2 were composed of LaAlO₃ crystallites with an average size of ∼30 nm.     

Electron energy spectrum and peculiarities of optical absorption in single-layer 2D structures based on silicon dioxide with surface functional groups

A calculation scheme based on density functional theory generalized to the case of periodic structures is used to calculate the electron energy spectrum and the imaginary part of the permittivity of single-layer 2D structures based on silicon dioxide with the surface functional groups X ≡ OH, CH₃, NH₂, NO₂, CHO, and COOH. The dependences of the energy corresponding to the energy-band edges, valence-band widths, and the positions of the characteristic peaks of the density of states on the degree of replacement by surface groups The peculiarities of the optical absorption bands in the absorbed photon energy region ?ω < 14 eV are revealed.     

氧化石墨烯负载的Pt单原子催化硼胺烷水解机理的理论研究

本文研究了氧化石墨烯负载Pt单原子(Pt₁/Gr-O)催化硼胺烷(NH₃BH₃)全水解反应机理,即一分子的NH₃BH₃生成三分子的氢气(H₂)的过程. 在水解路径中,首先吸附的硼胺烷连续断裂两个B-H键生成第一分子的H₂. 接着,一个H₂O分子与^*BHNH₃基团(^*表示吸附态)反应生成^*BH(H₂O)NH₃,其中伸长的O-H键断裂后形成^*BH(OH)NH₃. 然后,第二个H₂O与^*BH(OH)NH₃反应生成^*BH(OH)(H₂O)NH₃,在指向Pt₁/Gr-O表面的O-H断裂后,生成BH(OH)₂NH₃并脱附到水溶液中. 两个水分子脱氢产生的两个H原子脱附生成第二个H₂分子,且Pt₁/Gr-O催化剂恢复. 脱附后的BH(OH)₂NH₃在水溶液中水解生成第三个H₂分子. 纵观整个水解反应,H₂O分子和^*BHNH₃基团的结合是反应速控步,其反应能垒是16.1 kcal/mol. 因此,Pt₁/Gr-O有希望成为室温催化NH₃BH₃全水解催化剂.     

Substituent effects on gas-phase acidities of formic acid and its silicon and sulphur derivatives R − M(= X)XH(M = C., Si; X = O,S; R = H,F, CI,OH, NH2 and CH3)

Ab initio molecular orbital methods at the CBS-Q level of theory have been used to study the effect of substituent (F, Cl, NH₂, OH and CH₃) on the gas-phase acidities of formic acid, HCOOH, its silicon and sulphur derivatives R-M(= X)XH(M = C., Si; X = 0, S; R = F, Cl, OH, NH₂ and CH₃). For formic acid and its thio and dithio derivatives the acidity changes upon substitution are irregular and depend on both the type of substituent, position and degree of replacement of oxygen atoms by sulphur atoms. For sila carboxylic acids and their thio and dithio derivatives the calculated acidities regularly increase in the order: R-SiOOH < R-Si(=S)OH ? R-Si(=O)SH < R-SiSSH(R = H, F, Cl, OH, NH₂ and CH₃). The chloro derivatives are the strongest among the acids studied. The highest gas phase acidity (1277.6 kJmol^?1) has been calculated for ClC(=S)OH.     

Plasma deposition of silicon-containing polymer and some of its physical properties

Silicon containing polymer was deposited in a high frequency plasma in a silica barrel reactor. Hexamethyldisilazan (HMDS) was chosen as the monomer; silicon atoms are bounded in the polymer by -NH-groups. An influence of different deposition conditions and subsequent processing of polymer on its properties were studied. We measured the etch rate in CF₄+O₂ plasma (barrel reactor), thermal stability to 400 °C, dielectric strength (irreversible breakdown), permittivity? and dielectric losses tanδ.     

Excited‐state hydrogen bonding dynamics of pyruvic acid and geminal‐diol, 2,2‐dihydroxypropanoic acid in aqueous solution: a DFT/TDDFT study

In this work, we present the optimized ground state geometrical structures, electronic excitation energies and corresponding oscillation strengths of the low‐lying electronically excited states for the isolated Tce‐CH3COCOOH and Tce‐CH3C(OH)2COOH as well as their corresponding hydrogen‐bonded dimers Tce‐CH3COCOOH‐H2O and Tce‐CH3C(OH)2COOH‐H2O through time‐dependent density functional theory method. It is found that the intermolecular hydrogen bonds C=O···H‐O are strengthened in the electronically excited states of the hydrogen‐bonded dimers Tce‐CH3COCOOH‐H2O and Tce‐CH3C(OH)2COOH‐H2O, in that the excitation energies of the related excited states for the hydrogen‐bonded dimers are decreased compared with those of the corresponding monomers. The calculated results are consistent with the rules that are first demonstrated by Zhao on the excited‐state hydrogen bonding dynamics. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transparent Superhydrophobic silica coatings on glass by sol-gel method

Wetting behavior of solid surfaces is a key concern in our daily life as well as in engineering and science. In the present study, we demonstrate a simple dip coating method for the preparation of Thermally stable, transparent superhydrophobic silica films on glass substrates at room temperature by sol-gel process. The coating alcosol was prepared by keeping the molar ratio of methyltriethoxysilane (MTES), trimethylmethoxysilane (TMMS), methanol (MeOH), water (H₂O) constant at 1:0.09:12.71:3.58, respectively with 13 M NH₄OH throughout the experiments and the films were prepared with different deposition time varied from 5 to 25 h. In order to improve the hydrophobicity of as deposited silica films, the films were derivatized with 10% trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) as a silylating agent in hexane solvent for 24 h. Enhancement in wetting behavior was observed for surface derivatized silica films which showed a maximum static water contact angle (172°) and minimum sliding angle (2°) for 25 h of deposition time. The superhydrophobic silica films retained their superhydrophobicity up to a temperature of 550 °C. The silica films were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), surface profilometer, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, thermo-gravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), percentage of optical transmission, water contact angle measurements. The imperviousness behavior of the films was tested with various acids.     

Synthesis and Antibacterial Activities of Quaternary Ammonium Salt of Gelatin

Cationic proteins with tunable chemical and physical properties were prepared from 2,3-epoxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (EPTAC) and gelatin. Measurement of grafting density indicated that the molar ratio of EPTAC/amine groups (NH₂) in the gelatin chains played a key role in determining the compound's structure. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ¹³C NMR results showed that the –NH₂ functional groups of gelatin were totally consumed when the molar ratio of EPTAC/NH₂ was increased to 2.5:1. Hydroxyl (?OH) functional groups of gelatin were also depleted upon further increasing the molar ratio of EPTAC/NH₂. Antibacterial activity and thermal properties of the product polymers changed with the modification of the polymers’ structure.     

COOH-functionalisation of silica particles

In this study COOH-functionalised silica is synthesised using phosphonateN-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid (PMIDA) in an aqueous solution. The presence of PMIDA on the silica particles was verified using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and titration. Experimentally, surface concentrations of COOH functional groups of up to about 3 mmol/g_silica were achieved, whereas theoretical calculation of the maximum COOH functional group concentration gave about 1 mmol/g_silica. The discrepancy may be caused by PMIDA multilayer formation on the particle.