Rapid <i>In\nSitu</i> Preparation of Conductive\nGraphite-like Films on Polymer Surfaces via Hydrogen Plasma Technology

Many special polymer materials with high strength, low\ndensity,\nand high processability have been developed for the substitution of\nmetal products in recent years; however, their electrical insulation\nproperties sometimes limit their application in medicine, electronics,\nand aerospace fields. Constructing a conductive layer on polymers\nmay be a promising strategy for conquering these problems, but simply\nobtaining a high-quality conductive layer remains a challenge. Here,\nwe develop a universal strategy to <i>in situ</i> fabricate\na conductive graphite-like film on various polymer surfaces based\non a simple one-step gas plasma ion implantation method. Theoretical\nand experimental results confirm that the reducibility of free radicals\nand the electrophilicity of cations in plasma are critical for the\nformation of graphite-like films on polymer surfaces. Compared with\nargon and oxygen plasma, hydrogen plasma with strong reducing hydrogen\nradicals and weak electrophilic hydrogen cations can produce the highest\ndegree of graphitization of graphite-like films. The as-prepared polymers\ntreated by hydrogen plasma ion implantation presented good surface\nconductivity and reduced friction coefficient, which has great potential\nfor application in medicine, electronics, and aerospace fields.