Deposition of 2‐oxazoline‐based plasma polymer coatings using atmospheric pressure helium plasma jet

usc We report on the use of helium plasma jet for plasma polymerisation of 2‐methyl‐2‐oxazoline (OX) on heated silicon substrates. The X‐ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS) characterisation shows a substantial improvement in film stability in buffer solution when depositing at temperatures above 50°C. Principal component analysis of the time‐of‐flight–secondary ion mass spectrometry data shows excellent correlation with the XPS results, providing insights into the degree of crosslinking in the plasma coatings as a function of substrate temperature. Atomic force microscopy images showed the topography of OX plasma polymer coatings deposited at 80°C and 120°C to be smoother with lower surface roughness values compared to those produced at 50°C. Finally, an 80% reduction in the adhesion of Staphylococcus epidermidis is achieved at the centre of the plasma coatings deposited at 120°C. Refereed/Peer-reviewed