On the plasma permeability of highly porous ceramic framework materials using polymers as marker materials

Highly porous framework materials are of large interest due to their broad potential for application, for example, as sensors or catalysts. A new approach is presented to investigate, how deep plasma species can penetrate such materials. For this purpose, a polymer (ethylene propylene diene monomere rubber) is used as marker material and covered with the porous material during plasma exposure. Water contact‐angle and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements are used to identify changes in the polymer surface, originating from the interaction of plasma species with the polymer. The method is demonstrated by studying the plasma permeability of tetrapodal zinc oxide framework materials with a porosity of about 90% in an oxygen low‐pressure capacitively coupled plasma. Significant differences in the penetration depth ranging from roughly 1.6–4 mm are found for different densities of the material and different treatment conditions. Highly porous materials are of large interest, for example, for gas sensing and catalysis. To study, how deep plasma species can penetrate these materials, a new investigation method is presented. A polymer is used as marker material and covered with porous material during plasma exposure. Water contact‐angle and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements of the polymer surface afterward offer insight into the plasma permeability of the covering material. Here, tetrapodal zinc oxide framework materials (porosity about 90%) are exposed to an oxygen low‐pressure capacitively coupled plasma.