THE WETTABILITY OF A-C-H FILMS BY SOLUTION OF DIFFERENT PHYSICOCHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS

A new approach to the assessment of protective properties of amorphous hydrogenated carbon films is suggested that is based on studying the film wettability by solutions of different physico-chemical compositio ns. For a wide spectrum of water solutions of acids, bases, salts, org anic liquids, surface-active substances and amorphous hydrogenated fil ms, capillary properties (wettability, adhesion, interphase energy at the film-liquid interface) have been studied. The greatest change in s igma(s1) is shown to occur in the film-alkali solution system. A prote ctive action of a-C:H films from the point of view of their interactio n with a medium has been verified for all types of contact systems und er study. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science S.A.