SILICON CONTAMINATION OF POLYPROPYLENE FILMS FROM GLASS REACTORS IN ABCL3 RF COLD-PLASMA

Cold plasma chemistry can be used for surface modification and/or graf ting of polymeric substrates for enhanced properties. In addition to i nteraction with the substrate, plasma reactions can also occur at othe r surfaces confined to the reactor. Contamination of polypropylene (PP ) substrates with silicon, originating from the reactor walls in a BCl 3 plasma, has been shown to occur based on ESCA measurements and the p resence of Si-based compounds in the gaseous phase has been shown by G C-MS and high resolution MS for the plasma generated molecular mixture . The Si incorporation is similar to that found with CF4 plasmas where a shorter treatment time resulted in higher Si incorporation. These r esults indicate that reactor wall-origin contaminations can accompany plasma treatments, interfere with the the main reaction mechanisms and create serious problems for achieving the desired surface properties.