Surface modification of ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene films by remote plasmas

The surface modifications of ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) surfaces by six plasmas (direct H-2, Ar, and O-2 plasmas and remote H, Ar, and O-2 plasmas) were investigated with two questions in mind: (1) what plasma could effectively modify ETFE surfaces and (2) which of the CF2-CF2 and CH2-CH2 components in ETFE was selectively modified? The plasma exposure led to a weight loss from the ETFE surfaces and changes in the chemical composition on ETFE surfaces. The weight-loss rate showed a strong dependence on what plasma was used for the modification. The remote H2 plasma led to the lowest rate of weight loss in the six plasma exposures, and the direct 02 plasma led to the highest rate of weight loss. During exposure to the plasmas, defluorination occurred, and two new C-1s components [-CH2-CHF-CH2- and -CH2-CH(O-R)-CFx-, and -CH2-CHF-CF2-, -CH2-C(O)-CFx-, and -CFx-C(O)-O-] were formed on the modified ETFE surfaces. Defluorination was strongly influenced by what plasma was used for the modification. The remote H-2 and Ar plasmas showed high defluorinations of 55 and 51%, respectively. The remote O-2 plasma showed a low defluorination of only 25%. Conclusively, the remote H-2 and Ar plasma exposure effectively modified ETFE surfaces. With the exposure of these surfaces to the remote H-2 plasma, the CF2-CF2 component was predominantly modified, rather than the CH2-CH2 component. (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.