Plasma polymer films rf sputtered from PTFE under various argon pressures

Fluorocarbon plasma polymer films were prepared by radio-frequency (rf) sputtering of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Their wettability decreased with the increase in pressure of argon working gas. The films deposited at 70 Pa were found to be superhydrophobic plasma polymers with a static contact angle 146° for water. Sputtered fluorocarbon plasma polymer films were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The paper shows that the surface composition and chemical structure of the films vary with altering the argon gas pressure.