Structural and wetting properties of metal polymer nanocomposites

Polystyrene thin films of thickness 180-200 nm are modified by plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition (PIII&D) technique together with titanium filtered cathodic vacuum arc. The surface structure of modified films turns into a metal polymer nanocomposite where Ti nanoclusters of spatial size 10 - 20 nm are embedded in polystyrene matrices. Such structural formation is the interplay between ion sputtering and ion diffusion effect. The wetting properties of this nanocomposite, such as contact angle aging effect and hysteresis are investigated. The changes in various properties are believed to be due to structure of polymer nanocomposites as well as the basic principles of ion polymer interaction.