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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Plasma and ion fluorination for chemical hardening of synthetic rubbers. Final report, 30 September 1988-30 September 1989

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7154072
The purpose of this Phase I SBIR program was to investigate ways of fluorinating the surfaces of rubber materials to reduce their susceptibility to wetting and permeation by chemical warfare agents. Nitrile, butyl, and neoprene rubbers were studied. Fluorination was accomplished by direct implantation of ions into the surface and by rf plasma fluorination with freon gases. The rubber materials were examined for contact angle of diethyl malonate (DEM) drops, critical surface tension, and DEM uptake, and were characterized microscopy and ESCA. Ion implantation led to embrittlement and cracking of the surfaces, causing more rapid wetting by DEM. Plasma fluorination tended to deposit a fluorocarbon film on the surface rather than to introduce fluorine into the material. Some of the fluorinated films exhibited greater DEM initial contact angles and slower absorption, although after three hours the absorption rate increased to that of the untreated rubbers. Hence, this treatment provided some temporary improvement, but it was insufficient for proper protection.
Research Organization:
Ionic Atlanta, Inc., GA (USA)
OSTI ID:
7154072
Report Number(s):
AD-A-216388/9/XAB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English