title: Cross-Linking the Surface of Cured Polydimethylsiloxane via Hyperthemal Hydrogen Projectile Bombardment.
abstract: Cross-linking of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is increasingly important with recent focus on its top surface stiffness. In this paper, we demonstrate that hyperthermal hydrogen projectile bombardment, a surface sensitive cross-linking technology, is superior in enhancing the mechanical properties of a cured PDMS surface without significantly degrading its hydrophobicity. Both water contact angle measurements and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry are used to investigate the variations in surface chemistry and structure upon cross-linking. Using nanoindentation and atomic force microscopy, we confirm that the thickness of the cross-linked PDMS is controllable by the bombardment time, which opens opportunities for tuning cross-linking degree in compliance with arising requirements from the practice.
authors: Chao
authors: C
authors: Bao
authors: Ke-Qin
authors: KQ
authors: Xu
authors: Chang-Yu
authors: CY
authors: Tang
authors: Woon-ming
authors: WM
authors: Lau
authors: ‡CCDC Downhole Service Company, CNPC, Chengdu, Sichuan 610051, China.
authors: Cong-Bin
authors: CB
authors: Yin
authors: §Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China.
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Zhu
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Mei
authors: Jonathan
authors: J
authors: Lee
authors: ∥Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148, United States.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Hui
authors: ⊥Surface Science Western, The University of Western Ontario, 999 Collip Circle, London, Ontario N6G 0J3, Canada.|#Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada.
authors: Heng-Yong
authors: HY
authors: Nie
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Liu
keywords: cross-linking; hyperthemal hydrogen projectile bombardment; polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS); surface chemistry and mechanical properties; thickness of cross-linked PDMS