A quantitative model for the surface restructuring of repeatedly plasma treated silicone rubber

Surface restructuring in ambient air of medical grade silicone rubber surfaces modified by repeated RF plasma treatments using various discharge gases including oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide and ammonia, was studied quantitatively. From advancing and receding water contact angle data, the fraction of the surface covered by mobile and immobile polar groups, and a characteristic time constant of the restructuring process were calculated. For argon plasma treated surfaces, the fraction of immobile polar groups increased with repeated plasma treatments, but remained relatively constant for samples repeatedly treated by an ammonia plasma. The use of an oxygen plasma only yielded incorporation of mobile polar groups but not of immobile polar groups. The increase in the restructuring time constants of argon and ammonia plasma treated silicone rubber with the number of plasma treatments suggested enhanced crosslinking of the silicone rubber by these plasmas. In contrast, when an oxygen plasma was repeatedly used, the restructuring time constant decreased suggesting chain cleavage by an oxygen plasma. Tentatively, the carbon dioxide plasma treatment of silicone rubber may initially (up to 3–4 repeated treatments) yield chain cleavage, while the occurrence of crosslinking is indicated after more repetitions.