Selective Surface Modification of Fluorocarbon Resin Using Excimer Laser

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe fluorocarbon resin (Teflon) which is a very stable material chemically, has chemical resistance. Because of this property, it has no affinity for oil or water. Therefore, we have tried selective area modification of the resin surface b-y using an excimer laser.Fluorocarbon resin is a polymer of C-F bonds. In our experiment, the resin surface was irradiated by an ArF excimer laser, of which the photon energy is higher than that of the C-F bond, to excite the strong C-F bonds. B radicals, the best combination for F atoms, were formed simultaneously. Consequently, F atoms of C-F bonds were pulled out by B radicals. B(CH3 )3 with absorption in agreement with the wavelength of the ArF laser were used as raw materials of the B radicals. By irradiating the gas by the ArF laser beam, the photodecomposed B radicals functioned by pulling out F atoms, and the other methyl radicals ( -CH3 ) substituted for F atoms. As the result, this resin surface turned out to be oleophilic exclusively on the areas exposed to the light.