A study of the microhardness and scratch and abrasion resistance of silica‐like coatings deposited from TEOS and HMDSO on polycarbonate by AP PECVD

Abstract This work is the first systematic study of the microhardness, scratch resistance, and abrasion resistance of protective silica‐like layers deposited on polycarbonate by atmospheric pressure plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition (AP PECVD) from tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO). The influence of the layer composition on the abovementioned mechanical properties was considered in detail. It has been found that the films deposited from HMDSO at 110°C are characterized by a microhardness value that is almost three times higher than that of the films deposited from TEOS under similar conditions. The lower carbon content and, most likely, the partial substitution of oxygen in the SiO 2 matrix with carbon, leading to the formation of an oxycarbide structure, are responsible for the improved mechanical properties of the films deposited from HMDSO.