Glow discharge polymerization of tetramethyltin

Abstract Glow discharge polymerizations in the systems tetramethyltin (TMT), TMT/CH 4 , TMT/C 2 H 2 and TMT/N 2 were investigated and compared with those for methane and tetramethylsilane (TMS); some properties of the resulting polymers were examined. TMT is more easily polymerized in glow discharge than methane, and is deposited to as great an extent as TMS. Polymers prepared in these systems contain less carbon, nitrogen and oxygen than polymers from TMS; they consist mainly of CH 3 , CH 2 , CH, SnO and SnOSn groups. When nitrogen gas was mixed with TMT, amino groups were formed in the polymers. This formation arises from hydrolysis of SnN groups formed by interaction with TMT and nitrogen in glow discharge. This is distinctly different from the case of TMS. Surface energy, u.v. and visible absorption curve and thermal stability were measured. Adhesion between plasma films and polymer substrate is discussed.