Spontaneous Nanostructures Formation in Plasma Polymerss: Towards Process Control – SPON-TO-CTRL

Plasma polymerization offers the possibility to deposit polymeric functional thin films in many substrates. It is a solventless process that could be powered by renewable energy, as electricity is its basic demand. That feature, combined with the versatility in terms of precursor selection, offers competitive advantages when compared to other techniques of surface modification with polymeric thin films. Potential applications of plasma polymerization have mainly focused on smooth thin films. Although smooth surfaces are undoubtedly of interest for many applications, the range of applications of that process could be broadened by the exploration of other surface morphologies. Plasma polymerization, under certain conditions, can also allow the formation of spontaneous nanostructures on a substrate. However, that aspect remains poorly reported and investigated. Those nanostructures are believed to be the result of nucleation and different growth modes on the substrate. According to the precursor used for the deposition, they can present different chemical functionalities. That means that processes of surface nanostructuration and functionalization occur simultaneously. The studies performed so far indicate that selected isolated variables can influence the nanostructures formation and growth. However, a comprehensive study of the variables involved on that process has not been performed yet. The understanding of that process can ultimately lead to the possibility of directing the nanostructures formation and growth, transforming an initially random process to a controlled one. In SPON-TO-CTRL, we propose a study of important variables in order to isolate their effect on the nanostructures formation. In addition, the final goal of the project is to use that knowledge to drive the orientation of the nanostructures, opening up a door for the possibility of a nanopatterning process through plasma polymerization.