Fluorocarbon−Organosilicon Copolymer Synthesis by Hot Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition

Hot-filament chemical vapor deposition has been used to deposit copolymer thin films consisting of fluorocarbon and organosilicon groups from hexafluoropropylene oxide (HFPO) and hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane (D 3 ). This method offers an easy route to the production of such copolymers as the process does not require a solvent and can be performed in a single step. The presence of covalent bonds between the fluorocarbon and organosilicon moieties in the thin films has been confirmed by infrared spectroscopy; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS); and solid-state 19 F, 13 C, and 29 Si nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The film structure consists of chains with linear and cyclic siloxane groups and CF 2 groups as repeat units. Cross-linking and termination occur mainly via the siloxane units.