NSF Award
9960452
This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project will investigate the use of polymer surface engineering to enhance the adhesion and durability of hard coatings, such as TiN. Hard coatings have the potential to improve a bulk polymer's biocompatibility as well as its wear and durability characteristics. However, the severe requirements of the interface between the hard coating and the polymer caused by the dissimilar nature of the coating and the substrate promote coating delamination and flaking, especially when<br/>coupled with exposure to aggressive external conditions. The generally poor adhesion at the polymer/hard coating interface limits the long-term use of such structures and components in a number of applications, including biomedical implants. Accordingly, DACCO SCI, INC., and The Johns Hopkins University propose to engineer the surface of the polymer and the deposited coating using several proce-dures (Ar+ plasma / sputter deposition, NH3+/N2+ plasma/sputter deposition, and Ti evaporation / N2+ ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD)). By characterizing the surface/interface and measuring adhesion before and after accelerated durability tests, the mechanisms of adhesion can be established and the process improved to enhance adhesion and durability, tailored for specific applications.
