Sputtering: An eco‐friendly technique to obtain polymer‐metal hybrids

Abstract

AbstractAmong the methods commonly used to obtain polymer‐metal hybrids, sputtering has stood out for its ability to deposit thin films at room temperature. Another highlight is that it does not produce toxic gases or residues to the environment, making it an eco‐friendly solution. This work aimed to produce and characterize stainless steel (SS) films on acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene (ABS) polymer using a magnetron sputtering with a direct current source. The ABS‐SS surface and interface, the ABS thermal behavior, and the film‐substrate adhesion quality were analyzed. The characterization techniques were atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy to reveal the surface, x‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy to determine the chemical composition, and transmission electron microscopy to determine the phases on the ABS‐SS interface. The samples' thermal behavior was analyzed through thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. Method B from the ASTM D3359 standard qualitatively evaluated the film‐substrate adhesion. The characterizations showed that the ABS did not degrade significantly during SS deposition and that the sample had acceptable film‐substrate adhesion quality, making the technique and deposition parameters suitable for the obtention of this hybrid material.