Challenges in the deposition of plasma polymer nanoparticles using gas aggregation source: Rebounding upon impact and how to land them on a substrate

Plasma polymer nanoparticles (pp-NPs) are relatively easy to produce by plasma-based gas aggregation sources. However, as experimentally evidenced in this study for the case of C:H:N:O pp-NPs, pp-NPs are unlike metal/metal oxide nanoparticles prone to reflection from the substrate if they hit it with too high a speed. This may result in little or no deposition rate even though the nanoparticle beam is very intense. As is shown, the deposition of pp-NPs can be promoted either by the adjustment of their speed before they reach the substrate or by a proper selection of a substrate. Concerning the latter, enhanced capturing of pp-NPs was observed on structured or liquid substrates.