Physical and chemical properties of hybrid barrier coatings obtained in an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge

The aim of this work is to develop barrier coatings by using an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). For this purpose the plasma polymers obtained from a hybrid organic-inorganic precursor compound as well as from a purely organic compound were compared. The physical properties of the coatings were determined by scanning electron microscopy and scanning probe microscopy analysis as well as by profilometry and by determining their oxygen transmission rates. The chemical structure was revealed by ATR-FTIR analysis and C-13- and Si-29-CP/MAS solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance measurements. It is shown that atmospheric pressure plasma polymerization of hybrid polymer precursors leads to coatings with excellent barrier properties due to the unique synergistic effect of the organic and the inorganic network structures that are formed in the plasma.