Plasma Treatment of Polystyrene Films—Effect on Wettability and Surface Interactions with Au Nanoparticles
Polystyrene (PS)/Gold (Au) is used for a wide range of applications, including composite nanofibers, catalysis, organic memory devices, and biosensing. In this work, PS films were deposited on silicon substrates via a spin coating technique followed by treatment with argon (Ar) plasma admixed with a...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Plasma |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6182/6/2/22 |
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| author | Mohammad Islam Zineb Matouk Nadir Ouldhamadouche Jean-Jacques Pireaux Amine Achour |
| author_facet | Mohammad Islam Zineb Matouk Nadir Ouldhamadouche Jean-Jacques Pireaux Amine Achour |
| author_sort | Mohammad Islam |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Polystyrene (PS)/Gold (Au) is used for a wide range of applications, including composite nanofibers, catalysis, organic memory devices, and biosensing. In this work, PS films were deposited on silicon substrates via a spin coating technique followed by treatment with argon (Ar) plasma admixed with ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>), oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>), or tetrafluoroethane (C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>2</sub>F<sub>4</sub>). X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed modified surface chemistry for Ar/O<sub>2</sub>, Ar/NH<sub>3</sub>, or Ar/C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>2</sub>F<sub>4</sub> plasma treatment through the incorporation of oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine groups, respectively. Size-controlled magnetron sputter deposition of Au nanoparticles (NP) onto these plasma-treated PS films was investigated via XPS and AFM techniques. The interaction of the Au NPs, as probed from the XPS and AFM measurements, is discussed by referring to changes in surface chemistry and morphology of the PS after plasma treatment. The results demonstrate the effect of surface chemistry on the interaction of Au NPs with polymer support having different surface functionalities. The XPS results show that significant oxygen surface incorporation resulted from oxygen-containing species in the plasma itself. The surface concentration of O increased from 0.4% for the pristine PS to 4.5 at%, 35.4 at%, and 45.6 at% for the Ar/C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>4</sub>F<sub>4</sub>, Ar/NH<sub>3</sub>, and Ar/O<sub>2</sub>, respectively. The water contact angle (WCA) values were noticed to decrease from 98° for the untreated PS to 95°, 37°, and 15° for Ar/C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>2</sub>F<sub>4</sub>, Ar/NH<sub>3</sub>, and Ar/O<sub>2</sub> plasma-modified PS samples, respectively. AFM results demonstrate that surface treatment was also accompanied by surface morphology change. Small Au islands are well dispersed and cover the surface, thus forming a homogeneous, isotropic structure. The reported results are important for exploiting Au NPs use in catalysis and sensing applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:01:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6f67eb0550a84c849724980571e3e0fa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2571-6182 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:01:01Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plasma |
| spelling | doaj.art-6f67eb0550a84c849724980571e3e0fa2023-11-18T12:11:33ZengMDPI AGPlasma2571-61822023-05-016232233310.3390/plasma6020022Plasma Treatment of Polystyrene Films—Effect on Wettability and Surface Interactions with Au NanoparticlesMohammad Islam0Zineb Matouk1Nadir Ouldhamadouche2Jean-Jacques Pireaux3Amine Achour4GE Aerospace, 3290 Patterson Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512, USATechnology Innovation Institute, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 9639, United Arab EmiratesLaboratoire de Génie Physique, Université Ibn Khaldoun, BP P 78 Zaâroura, Tiaret 14000, AlgeriaResearch Centre, Physics of Matter and Radiation (PMR), LISE Laboratory, University of Namur, 5000 Namur, BelgiumPixium Vision S.A., 74 Rue du FGB Saint-Antoine, 75012 Paris, FrancePolystyrene (PS)/Gold (Au) is used for a wide range of applications, including composite nanofibers, catalysis, organic memory devices, and biosensing. In this work, PS films were deposited on silicon substrates via a spin coating technique followed by treatment with argon (Ar) plasma admixed with ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>), oxygen (O<sub>2</sub>), or tetrafluoroethane (C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>2</sub>F<sub>4</sub>). X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed modified surface chemistry for Ar/O<sub>2</sub>, Ar/NH<sub>3</sub>, or Ar/C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>2</sub>F<sub>4</sub> plasma treatment through the incorporation of oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine groups, respectively. Size-controlled magnetron sputter deposition of Au nanoparticles (NP) onto these plasma-treated PS films was investigated via XPS and AFM techniques. The interaction of the Au NPs, as probed from the XPS and AFM measurements, is discussed by referring to changes in surface chemistry and morphology of the PS after plasma treatment. The results demonstrate the effect of surface chemistry on the interaction of Au NPs with polymer support having different surface functionalities. The XPS results show that significant oxygen surface incorporation resulted from oxygen-containing species in the plasma itself. The surface concentration of O increased from 0.4% for the pristine PS to 4.5 at%, 35.4 at%, and 45.6 at% for the Ar/C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>4</sub>F<sub>4</sub>, Ar/NH<sub>3</sub>, and Ar/O<sub>2</sub>, respectively. The water contact angle (WCA) values were noticed to decrease from 98° for the untreated PS to 95°, 37°, and 15° for Ar/C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>2</sub>F<sub>4</sub>, Ar/NH<sub>3</sub>, and Ar/O<sub>2</sub> plasma-modified PS samples, respectively. AFM results demonstrate that surface treatment was also accompanied by surface morphology change. Small Au islands are well dispersed and cover the surface, thus forming a homogeneous, isotropic structure. The reported results are important for exploiting Au NPs use in catalysis and sensing applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6182/6/2/22gold nanoparticlesXPSAFMplasma treatmentsurface chemistry |
| spellingShingle | Mohammad Islam Zineb Matouk Nadir Ouldhamadouche Jean-Jacques Pireaux Amine Achour Plasma Treatment of Polystyrene Films—Effect on Wettability and Surface Interactions with Au Nanoparticles Plasma gold nanoparticles XPS AFM plasma treatment surface chemistry |
| title | Plasma Treatment of Polystyrene Films—Effect on Wettability and Surface Interactions with Au Nanoparticles |
| title_full | Plasma Treatment of Polystyrene Films—Effect on Wettability and Surface Interactions with Au Nanoparticles |
| title_fullStr | Plasma Treatment of Polystyrene Films—Effect on Wettability and Surface Interactions with Au Nanoparticles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Plasma Treatment of Polystyrene Films—Effect on Wettability and Surface Interactions with Au Nanoparticles |
| title_short | Plasma Treatment of Polystyrene Films—Effect on Wettability and Surface Interactions with Au Nanoparticles |
| title_sort | plasma treatment of polystyrene films effect on wettability and surface interactions with au nanoparticles |
| topic | gold nanoparticles XPS AFM plasma treatment surface chemistry |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6182/6/2/22 |
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