OXYGEN BARRIER EFFICIENCY OF HEXAMETHYLDISILOXANE OXYGEN PLASMA-DEPOSITED COATING/

Oxygen barrier coatings were made by plasma polymer deposition on a po lypropylene substrate. Plasma polymer deposition is realized in a low- frequency reactor with hexamethyldisiloxane/oxygen (HMDSO/O-2) precurs ors. The structure and composition of the deposited coating are charac terized by density measurements and FTIR spectroscopy. Permeability of the polypropylene, coated with plasma films made from various gas com positions, is interpreted in terms of coating structure and compositio n. Incorporation of molecular oxygen in the gas phase results in inorg anic and dense films. It is shown that the density of the film is the main factor controlling the oxygen barrier effect. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.