Nanocomposites and nanostructures based on plasma polymers

Nanocomposite metal/plasma polymer films have been deposited since the seventies of the last century using sputtering or thermal evaporation of a metal simultaneously with a plasma polymerization process. The main attention was paid to fluorocarbon and hydrocarbon plasma polymers as matrices for the incorporation of metals such as Au and Ag. Main deposition techniques used for the fabrication of such nanocomposites are reviewed together with an overview of their basic optical and electrical properties, composition and structure. Proposed applications are mentioned as well. In addition, RF magnetron co-sputtering of a polymer such as polytetrafluoroethylene, is also mentioned. Nanostructuring of a fluorocarbon plasma polymer by changing deposition parameters including deposition system geometry is revealed and the application in terms of superhydrophobic coating is mentioned. Cluster sources, namely the gas aggregation (condensation) cluster source (GAS) based on a planar magnetron in a compact and simple form is described and its performance for the preparation of nanocomposite and nanostructured metal/plasma polymer films is discussed. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.