Precursor Design for Aerosol‐Assisted Plasma Deposition of Poly(Ethylene Oxide)‐Like Thin Films: Deposition Mechanism and Film Properties

Aerosol‐assisted plasma deposition using a cold atmospheric pressure plasma jet is promising for deposition of poly(ethylene oxide)‐like antifouling coatings. However, the impact of precursor volatility and viscosity is currently not well understood. Decreasing the volatility by increasing the number of ethylene oxide repeats in poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate precursors improves the material balance consistent with less precursor evaporation during transport and on the substrate. As more and larger droplets reach the substrate, this also influences the plasma polymerization. This does not limit film formation from dimethacrylate precursors with nine ethylene glycol units resulting in stable films with good antifouling properties. Better understanding of the mechanisms during aerosol‐assisted plasma deposition will facilitate design of adequate precursors for deposition of multifunctional coatings.