Polyvinylpyrrolidone surface modification with SiOx containing amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H/SiOx) and nitrogen-doped a-C:H/SiOx films using Hall-type closed drift ion beam source

In this study SiOx containing amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H/SiOx) and nitrogen-doped a-C:H/SiOx (a-C:H:N/SiOx) films were deposited on polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) templates of variable thickness using a Hall-type closed drift ion beam source with constant irradiation parameters. A detailed surface characterization was followed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) topography images, surface morphology parameters, height distribution histograms and bearing ratio curves with hybrid parameters. The AFM analysis directly showed that the a-C:H/SiOx/PVP and a-C:H:N/SiOx/PVP composite films represent different morphologies with characteristic surface textures. Surface adhesive properties were evaluated by measuring the force required to separate the AFM tip from the surface by means of AFM force-distance curves. The variance in adhesion force detected was lower for a-C:H/SiOx/PVP composite films due to lower structural homogeneity of the surfaces. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis was performed to study the blend behavior of PVP upon a-C:H/SiOx and a-C:H:N/SiOx direct ion beam deposition. It was determined that interfacial interactions of PVP with the direct ion beam induced changes in the carbonyl group of the PVP and are dependent on the carrier gas used for the synthesis of the amorphous hydrogenated carbon films.

► Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) surface was modified with diamond-like carbon (DLC).
► Hall-type closed drift ion beam source was used for synthesis of DLC films.
► Surface morphological, adhesive properties and blend behavior were studied.
► Depending on thickness of PVP different surface textures were obtained.
► Changes in carbonyl group of PVP upon modification with DLC were observed.