Plasma-polymer coatings onto different biodegradable polyesters surfaces

Hydrocarbon-like coatings were deposited on different biodegradable polyesters from renewable (bio-based) and non-renewable (fossil-based) resources, such as homopolymers (polylactic acid – PLA, polycaprolactone – PCL) and copolymers (Polyhydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate – PHBV, polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate – PBAT), respectively. The coated samples were tested in terms of adhesion and barrier properties, fragmentation tests, roughness, surface composition and water contact angle measurements. Depending on the substrate, these properties exhibit different behaviours. The coating adhesion of PCL or PHBV is twice higher than the adhesion of coated PLA or PBAT, and depends on the substrate. Barrier performances were mainly improved for both coated PCL and PHBV. Different behaviours are assigned to the change of substrate nature, which induces different interface structure and composition.