Surface Funtionalization of Polymer Fibers by Sputter Coating

Polymer fibers are widely used in many industries, ranging from filtration, composites, tissue engineering, and electronics. The surface properties of polymer fibers are of importance in these applications. The surface properties of polymer fibers can be modified by different techniques. In this study, magnetron sputter coatings are used to generate functional nanostructures on polymer fiber surfaces. Conducting aluminum (Al) film, piezoelectric aluminum nitride (AlN) film, and ceramic film of aluminum oxide (Al ₂ O ₃ ) are deposited onto polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers at low temperature. The surface topography and compositions of the funtionalized fibers are characterized by optical microscopy, scanning probe microscopy (SPM), and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The observations by SPM reveal the different morphology of the fibers with different coatings. The examination by the ESEM equipped with a full energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis indicates the change in the chemical compositions of the fiber surfaces.