Organic Films Synthesized on the Iron Surface in Low-Temperature Plasma of Adamantane
In this paper, thin polymer films obtained on iron substrates in low-temperature plasma of adamantane vapor were studied by SEM, AFM, ESCA, contact angle measurements and nanoindentation. It is shown that the films have a thickness about 1-2 micrometers and a columnar structure (the diameter of the "columns" is 50-100 nm). The surface energy of the films is close to the energy of low-polar organic polymers. The composition of the thin surface layer includes carbon (partially as peroxide groups), oxygen (as peroxide groups only) and a small amount of nitrogen (as amino groups). The reason for the appearance of such a significant concentration of oxygen is the secondary reaction of the film free radicals with atmospheric oxygen. The thickness, morphology, chemical composition, surface energy and some physico-mechanical properties such as hardness, reduced modulus of elasticity, elastic recovery parameter, compliance, elastic deformation work and plastic deformation work of the films are determined. It is also shown that the properties of the obtained films are close to the properties of LDPE and HDPE samples.