Synthesis and Surface Characterization of a Novel Plasma-polymerized (α-Pinene)-based Thin Film

Abstract

α-Pinene is a bicyclic compound that is commonly sequestered from coniferous plants like pine trees. Several properties of pinene have been investigated, such as its isomerization capabilities and biological activity. However, the viability of pure pinene as an organic thin film has not yet been explored. In this work, we report the synthesis of an α-pinene-based organic thin film deposited on Al and glass substrates via plasma polymerization and its subsequent surface characterization. It was determined that the film generally became more hydrophobic as the α-pinene loading and the deposition time increased. More importantly, it was shown that specifying a pinene-Ar ratio of 50:50 yielded the highest contact angles at 94.22 and 110.38 for deposition times of 6.0 and 9.0 minutes, respectively. These results signify that a pinene-based organic thin film has been produced through the plasma polymerization synthesis route.