SOME SURFACE-PROPERTIES OF PLASMA POLYMERS PREPARED FROM HEXAMETHYLDISILAZANE AND DIETHYLAMINOTRIMETHYLSILANE

Plasma polymers from some silyl amines were produced by the radio frequency of 13.56 MHz, and the surface properties were investigated. The polymers were revealed to be as hydrophobic as a plasma polymer from tetramethylsilane, which does not contain nitrogen. The hydrophobicity became effective at around 50 Å thicknesses of these polymer layers deposited on micro‐slide glass. These polymers have gradually become comparatively hydrophilic with the aging. The change of wettability is probably due to the oxidation of these surface layers to form oxides and peroxides, which are more hydrophilic. The hydrophobic character of silyl amine plasma polymers could be explained by the lack of amines and/or amides in these polymers, as observed with ATR‐IR and ESCA spectra. These spectroscopic observations also suggest that nitrogen is a more fragile element in plasma than carbon or silicon in the silyl amines. Copyright © 1979 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.