EPSRC logo

Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/R59014/01
Title: A Mechanistic Study of Pulsed Plasma Polymerisation for Non-Fouling Surfaces
Principal Investigator: Short, Professor R
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Materials Science and Engineering
Organisation: University of Sheffield
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 November 2001 Ends: 30 April 2003 Value (£): 89,711
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Materials Characterisation Materials Synthesis & Growth
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Healthcare Transport Systems and Vehicles
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
This proposal is concerned with a detailed study of the pulsed and continous wave (CW) plasma polymerisation of compounds that give polyethylene oxide (PEO)-like surfaces. Plasma polymerisation provides a one-step process to surfaces that have the potential to substantially reduce biological fouling of surfaces. These plasma polymerised surfaces are sometimes referred to as non-fouling and have significant technical utility. Although desposition of such surfaces from plasma is an active area of investigation, little attention has been paid to the mechanism(s) of polymer deposition from plasma.A novel collecting surface which incorporates a range of diagnostics (including a mass spectrometer) and is capable of ion energy modulation will be used to probe plasmas (ions and neutrals) of compounds that give rise to PEO-like surfaces. Changes in the nature of the gas-phase species will be monitored as a function of plasma power (duty cycle) and correlated with changes in the chemistry of solid-phase plasma products (XPS/SIMS). The role of ions in the deposition process is suspected to be important and by ion energy modulation it will be possible to reduce the energy of ions (or totally exclude ions) arriving at the collecting surface/mass spectrometer. This can be done without any perturbation to the plasma.
Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Summary
Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL:  
Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.shef.ac.uk