Metallization of electronic polymers: A comparative study of polyvinylidene fluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene, and polyethylene

The initial stages of bond formation between a piezoelectric fluropolymer, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) (-CF2-CH2−)n and a moderately reactive metal (Ni) has been studied using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In order to understand the two different types of C bond present (-CF2− and -CH2−), these studies have been extended to include the polymers poly-tetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (-CF2−)n and polyethylene or PE (-CH2−)n. It is found that Ni attacks the C and F in the -CF2− component, forming nickel fluoride and at least two new C containing products (perhaps a combination of -CFNi- and graphite-like C). On the other hand, the -CH2− species is unaffected by Ni. Therefore, among the polymers studied, the PTFE surface is most severely altered by Ni followed by PVDF. PE is totally inert to this metal. A semiquantitative analyses of these interactions has been presented in light of the information currently available in the literature.