Plasma copolymerization of acrylic acid with hexamethyldisilazane

Polymerization of acrylic acid with hexamethyldisilazane (HMSZ) was carried out in a mixture by use of pulsed and continuous wave plasmas. The polymer deposition rate and the chemical structures of product films were investigated with regard to the power effects of the plasmas. A copolymer-like structure was formed in general, but the products were not necessarily composed of the simple agglomeration of the polymer components. The power consumed in plasma polymerization influenced the chemical structure, and oxide, in the form of Si-O, was produced more densely in the polymers at higher rather than lower powers. The polymer structure was related to the chemical properties, and the surface wetting was also changed by the power used in the plasma copolymerization. The films were moderately hydrophilic in the polymers produced at lower wattages, but became as hydrophobic as those from HMSZ when prepared at high wattages.