ABSTRACT
For the modification of the surface energy of polymers, organosilicon coatings provide good optical and mechanical properties and are excellent candidates for the modification of the surface energy of polymers. These coatings can be deposited by plasma polymerization of hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) under atmospheric pressure and at room temperature. The coatings can range from soft, hydrophobic layers (SiOxCyHz) to hard, hydrophilic layers (SiOx), depending on the plasma composition.
We have developed a process for the deposition of coatings of 50-20 nm thickness on the polymer substrates PS and COC. The surface energy could be varied between 20 and 75mN/m2 which correspond to water contact angles between 110° and 5°.
A new tool was designed which allows for patterned plasma deposition on substrates or local deposition inside channels of e.g. lab-on-chip devices. To demonstrate this, the channels of a lab-on-a-chip device were locally coated after bonding of lid and substrate by the injection of the plasma gases into its channels.
Keywords: Thin film, Lab-on-a-chip, Plasma treatment.
