Optimisation of plasma polymers for hydrophobic coatings

The optimisation of the deposition conditions to produce thin hydrophobic polymer coatings on metal substrates, that are durable in long-term steam exposure, has been successful for low steam velocities. Condensers operated with these coated tubes have greatly increased heat transfer coefficients, but the polymer coatings are relatively soft and are eventually removed by water droplets entrained in the steam flow. A second phase of improving the coatings will now have to address this limitation, perhaps by using new monomer precursors. The basic technique of statistical design of experiments is more widely applicable to situations having many variables and several measureable performance indicators (eg dielectric applications of the polymer films). The combination of these variables into scientifically meaningful groups assists in interpreting the results