Nanostructured plasma coatings to obtain multifunctional textile surfaces

Nanostructured surfaces are of great interest, since they provide a high surface area. A high functionality can thus be obtained by ultrathin coatings. Plasma polymerization of acetylene mixed with ammonia (C2H2/NH3) was used in a regime where both deposition and etching processes took place yielding a nanoporous, crosslinked network with accessible functional groups. These plasma coatings can be used as permanent hydrophilic treatment or for substrate-independent dyeing when deposited on textile fabrics. Increasing color intensity with film thickness proved that accessible amine groups were deposited within a nanoporous hydrocarbon matrix. Using plasma co-sputtering of a silver target, Ag nano particles can be in situ embedded within the growing plasma polymer yielding a well-defined size and distribution of nano particles at the coating surface. Hence, an anti-microbial activity was achieved. Multifunctional textile surfaces can thus be obtained by adjusting combined properties such as wettability, functional group density as well as anti-bacterial and bio-responsive surfaces. Scale-up of these combined plasma processes is enabled by control of plasma chemistry regarding energy input into the plasma zone and plasma physics by surface interaction with energetic particles. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.