Anti-adhesive layers on stainless steel using thermally stable dipodal perfluoroalkyl silanes

Abstract In this study steel surfaces are modified with dipodal perfluoroalkyl organosilanes and the resulting wetting properties and surface morphologies are analyzed. Dipodal silane monomers with different fluoroalkyl spacer lengths are synthesized via hydrosilylation reaction. The modification of stainless steel surfaces is performed in a two-step procedure comprising a corona activation of the steel surface and the subsequent reaction of surface hydroxyl groups with the dipodal silanes from the liquid phase. Anti-adhesive behavior on the surface is achieved through the modification. The attachment of the dipodal silanes on the stainless steel surface is validated with infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The wetting properties of the dipodal silane layers are investigated by contact angle measurements and adhesive force measurements. Atomic force microscopy is used to characterize the surface roughness and morphologies. Stainless steel modified with the dipodal perfluoroalkyl silanes exhibits low surface energy and low adhesive force compared to the unmodified steel surface. The thermal stability of coatings based on dipodal silanes is higher when compared to layers based on conventional monopodal organosilanes.