Plasma-polymerized films deposited from AlAm, HxAm, NVP, NVFA, AA and FC were compared to TCPS and PS surfaces in supporting cellular attachment, viability, and proliferation in serum-based culture in vitro for extended periods of time (>7 d). Surface patterns were created using multi-step depositions with physical masks. Cell adhesion in the presence of serum was compared for (monocyte-) macrophage and fibroblast cell lines. Cellular response was tracked over time, reporting adhesive behavior, proliferative rates, and morphological changes as a function of surface chemistry. Micropatterned surfaces containing different surface chemistries and functional groups (e.g. -NH(2), -COOH, -CF(3)) produced differential cell adhesive patterns for NIH 3T3 fibroblasts compared to J774A.1, RAW 264.7 or IC-21 (monocyte-) macrophage cell types. Significantly, macrophage adhesion is substantial on surfaces where fibroblasts do not adhere under identical culture conditions.

High‐fidelity micrometer‐scale patterns of alternating hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials were created on polystyrene using pulsed plasma polymerization. The hydrophobic material was formed using C3F8. Grids with 80–100 µm holes were used to generate patterns with acrylic acid, 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate, N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone, N‐vinylformamide, allylamine, and hexylamine. The materials were characterized with angle‐resolved XPS, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and static CA measurements. Excellent pattern fidelity with all monomers was confirmed with SEM, SAM, XPS imaging, and static ToF‐SIMS imaging.

Studies of fluorocarbon film deposition and its correlation with etched trench sidewall angle by employing a gap structure using C 4 F 8 ∕ Ar and C F 4 ∕ H 2 based capacitively coupled plasmas Comparison of plasma chemistries and structure-property relationships of fluorocarbon films deposited from octafluorocyclobutane and pentafluoroethane monomers Materials deposited in continuous wave ͑cw͒ and pulsed low-pressure octafluoropropane (C 3 F 8 ) and octafluorocyclobutane (c-C 4 F 8 ) plasmas were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy ͑FTIR͒, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, static contact angle measurements, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and scanning electron microscopy ͑SEM͒. Fluorocarbon ͑FC͒ materials deposited in pulsed plasmas were less crosslinked than those deposited in cw plasmas with equivalent input powers. Within each system, higher F/C ratio materials were deposited by lowering the plasma input power/duty cycle. Using downstream depositions had a similar effect on film composition, but also resulted in decreased deposition rates. SEM analysis showed that decreases in the flexibility of the fluorocarbon films were correlated with increases in the percent of crosslinking. Additionally, the smoothness of the film surfaces suggests that polymerization processes occur on the substrate surface. Overall, films deposited in C 4 F 8 plasmas were more crosslinked and less flexible than those deposited in C 3 F 8 plasmas under the same conditions. The composition of the deposited FC films is correlated to the nature and relative concentrations of nascent ions previously measured in these plasma systems using plasma ion mass spectrometry.

Pulsed plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition was used to coat natural fibers of silk, wool, and cotton with poly(allyl alcohol) films. Untreated and coated fibers were characterized using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and scanning electron microscopy. Coated fibers had very similar XPS high resolution C1s spectra, suggesting the coatings are uniformly and conformally coated, regardless of fiber type. EPR data show strong signals from incorporated radicals in all three of the coated fibers, with the strongest signal arising from the coated cotton fibers, indicating more free radicals are formed during plasma treatment of cotton. Tensile strength tests reveal coated wool and silk fibers were significantly stronger than their uncoated counterparts.magnified image