Plasma polymerization is a solventless method for depositing polymeric layers onto any substrate at room temperature. This technique comprises excitation, fragmentation, and polymerization of precursor molecules by an electrical discharge. Although widely used, the fundamental molecular processes associated with plasma polymerization are not fully understood. Basic plasma / polymer interactions were studied by investigating the surface treatment of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) using inert and reactive gas discharges. Depending upon the feed gas employed, chemical, UV, or ion beam modification of the PTFE surface were found to be important. Argon glow discharge treatment was found to result in similar physicochemical phenomena at the PTFE surface to that observed during argon ion beam studies, thereby supporting the relative importance of ion bombardment during noble gas plasma modification. In high power discharges it has been shown that extensive ion bombardment of PTFE can lead to the simultaneous sputtering and plasma polymerization of ejected species onto an adjacent substrate. The chemical nature of the resultant fluorocarbon deposits for various gases was found to correlate to the earlier surface treatment studies. Another way of carrying out plasma polymerization is to use pulsed plasmas; these offer the advantage of greater retention of monomer structure within the plasma polymer matrix. In the case of maleic anhydride less fragmentation of the precursor, reduced beam damage of the polymer, and radically initiated polymerization was observed by increasing the off-period of the pulse. Similarly the structural characteristics of 2- iodothiophene plasma polymers were found to be influenced by the electrical discharge power and pulsing parameters leading to a gradual destruction of the aromatic ring structure.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2005. / Supervisor: Donald R. Paul. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Lehigh University, 2000. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 199-209).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1985. / Vita. Bibliography: leaves [135]-145.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Physics, December 1997. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Dept. of Physics and Dept. of Mathematics. University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2005. / "A dissertation in physics and mathematics." Advisor: Da-Ming Zhu. Typescript. Vita. Title from "catalog record" of the print edition Description based on contents viewed June 26. 2006. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-87). Online version of the print edition.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.