Fluorination of polymethylmethaacrylate with tetrafluoroethane using DC glow discharge plasma

Fluorination of polymer surfaces has technological applications in various fields such as microelectronics, biomaterials, textile, packing, etc. In this study PMMA surfaces were fluorinated using DC glow discharge plasma. Tetrafluoroethane was used as the fluorinating agent. On the fluorinated PMMA surface, static water contact angle, surface energy, optical transmittance (UV–vis), XPS and AFM analyses were carried out. After the fluorination PMMA surface becomes hydrophobic with water contact angle of 107° without losing optical transparency. Surface energy of fluorine plasma-treated PMMA decreased from 35 mJ/cm2 to 21.2 mJ/cm2. RMS roughness of the fluorinated surface was 4.01 nm and XPS studies revealed the formation of C–CFx and CF3 groups on the PMMA surface.