Experimental study on discharge characteristics of argon plasma brush and its surface modification of PET

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1000-1565.2019.05.006

Abstract

Abstract: With blowing argon, a uniform planar plume with pulsed discharges is generated in ambient air at atmospheric pressure through a plasma brush excited by a direct current power supply. Results indicate that the core of the planar plume is very uniform, while its two edges are much brighter than the core region. Meanwhile, the length of the argon plume increases with increased gas flow rate. This argon brush is then used to improve hydrophilicity of polyethylene terephthalate(PET)surface. After a single scan of the plasma brush on the PET surface, a uniform surface modification is achieved with an improved hydrophilic width of about 24.0 mm. The polar groups are contained in oxidized materials, which are observed by scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, these polar groups have increased number density and scale with increasing the gas flow rate. Furthermore, water contact angle is found to decrease with increasing the gas flow rates until it reaches an almost constant value.

Key words: plasma brush, surface modification, uniform discharge, water contact angle

CLC Number:

O539

XU Huimin, TANG Xiao, XU Longfei, ZHAO Na, GAO Kun, JIA Pengying. Experimental study on discharge characteristics of argon plasma brush and its surface modification of PET[J]. Journal of Hebei University (Natural Science Edition), 2019, 39(5): 478-483.

References

[1] HUANG C, CHANG Y C, WU S Y. Contact angle analysis of low-temperature cyclonic atmospheric pressure plasma modified polyethylene terephthalate[J]. Thin Solid Films, 2010, 518: 3575. DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2009.11.046.
[2] HOMOLA T, MATOUSEK J,HERGELOVA B. Activation of poly(ethylene terephthalate)surfaces by atmospheric pressure plasma[J]. Polym Degrad Stab, 2012, 97: 2249. DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2012.08.001.
[3] ALZOUBI K, LU S, SAMMAKIA B, et al. Experimental and analytical studies on the high cycle fatigue of thin film metal on PET substrate for flexible electronics applications[J]. IEEE Trans Compon, Packag, Manuf Technol, 2011, 1: 43. DOI:10.1109/TCPMT.2010.2100911.
[4] FRANZ R, MAUER A, WELLE F. European survey on post-consumer poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET)materials to determine contamination levels and maximum consumer exposure from food packages made from recycled PET[J]. Food Addit Contam, 2004, 21: 265. DOI:10.1080/02652030310001655489.
[5] RAMIRES P A, MIRENGHI L, ROMANO A R. Contact angle analysis of low-temperature cyclonic atmospheric pressure plasma modified polyethylene terephthalate[J]. Mater Res, 2000, 51: 535. DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2009.11.046.
[6] REZAEI F, DICKEY M D, BOURHAM M. Surface modification of PET film via a large area atmospheric pressure plasma: An optical analysis of the plasma and surface characterization of the polymer film[J]. Surf Coat Technol, 2017, 309: 371. DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2016.11.072.
[7] PANDIYARAJ K N, DESHMUKH R R,RUZYBAYEV I. Influence of non-thermal plasma forming gases on improvement of surface properties of low density polyethylene(LDPE)[J]. Appl Surf Sci, 2014, 307: 109. DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2014.03.177.
[8] PANDIYARAJ K N, KUMAR A A, RAMKUMAR M C. Influence of water vapor addition on the surface modification of polyethylene in an argon dielectric barrier discharge[J]. Curr Appl Phys, 2016, 16: 784. DOI: 10.1002/ppap.201300088.
[9] CHEN W, MCCARTHY T J. Chemical Surface Modification of Poly(ethylene terephthalate)[J]. Macromolecules, 1998, 31(11): 3648-3655. DOI: 10.1021/ma9710601.
[10] OZDEMIR M, SADIKOGLU H. A new and emerging technology: laser-induced surface modification of polymers[J]. Trends Food Sci. Technol, 1998, 9: 159-167. DOI: 10.1016/S0924-2244(98)00035-1.
[11] BURILLO G, TENORIO L, BUCIO E. Electron beam irradiation effects on poly(ethylene terephthalate)[J]. Radiat Phys Chem, 2007, 76: 1728-1731. DOI: 10.1016/j.radphyschem.2007.02.097.
[12] YANG S, YIN H. Two Atmospheric-pressure plasma sources for polymer surface modification[J]. Plasma Chem Plasma Process, 2007, 27: 23-33. DOI:10.1007/s11090-006-9041-3.
[13] FANG Z, SHAO T, WANG R. Large-area surface modification of polymers using a cold pulsed glow discharge[J]. Eur Phys J A P, 2012, 57(1): 10801. DOI: 10.1051/epjap/2011110281.
[14] REN Y, XU L, WANG C. Effect of dielectric barrier discharge treatment on surface nanostructure and wettability of polylactic acid(PLA)nonwoven fabrics[J]. Appl, Surf, Sci, 2017, 426: 612-621. DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.07.211.
[15] GAO Z. Modification of surface properties of polyamide 6 films with atmospheric pressure plasma[J]. Appl Surf Sci, 2011, 257: 6068-6072. DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2011.01.132.
[16] AKBAR D. Surface modification of polypropylene(PP)using single and dual high radio frequency capacitive coupled argon plasma discharge[J]. Appl Surf Sci, 2016, 362: 63-69. DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.11.191.
[17] DEYNSE A V, COOLS P, LEYS C. Influence of ambient conditions on the aging behavior of plasma-treated polyethylene surfaces[J]. Surf Coat Technol, 2014, 258: 359-367. DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2014.08.073.
[18] ZHENG P, LIU K, WANG J. Surface modification of polyimide(PI)film using water cathode atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma[J]. Appl Surf Sci, 2012, 259: 494-500. DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2012.07.073.
[19] RAJASEKARAN P, MERTMANN P, BIBINOV N. Filamentary and homogeneous modes of dielectric barrier discharge(DBD)in air: investigation through plasma characterization and simulation of surface irradiation[J]. Plasma Process, Polym, 2010, 7:665-675. DOI: 10.1002/ppap.200900175.
[20] LIU Y, SU C, REN X. Experimental study on surface modification of PET films under bipolar nanosecond-pulse dielectric barrier discharge in atmospheric air[J]. Appl Surf Sci, 2014, 313: 53-59. DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2014.05.129.
[21] WANG C, ZHANG G, WANG X. Surface modification of poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET)by magnet enhanced dielectric barrier discharge air plasma[J]. Surf. Coat. Technol, 2011, 205: 4993-4999. DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2011.04.104.
[22] NIU Z, ZHANG C, SHAO T. Repetitive nanosecond-pulse dielectric barrier discharge and its application on surface modification of polymers[J]. Surf Coat Technol, 2013, 228: S578-S582. DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2012.01.007.
[23] FANG Z, YANG J, LIU Y. Surface treatment of polyethylene terephthalate to improving hydrophilicity using atmospheric pressure plasma jet[J]. IEEE Trans Plasma Sci, 2013, 41(6): 1627-1634. DOI: 10.1109/tps.2013.2259508.
[24] DEYNSE A V, COOLS P, LEYS C. Surface activation of polyethylene with an argon atmospheric pressure plasma jet: Influence of applied power and flow rate[J]. Appl Surf Sci, 2015, 328: 269-278. DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2014.12.075.
[25] SHAW D, WEST A, BREDIN J. Mechanisms behind surface modification of polypropylene film using an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet[J]. Plasma Sources Sci Technol, 2016, 25: 065018. DOI: 10.1088/0963-0252/25/6/065018.
[26] FANELLI F, FRACASSI F. Atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasma jet technology: general features, specificities and applications in surface processing of materials[J].Surf Coat Technol, 2017, 322: 174-201. DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2017.05.027.
[27] IOMOITA E R, IONITA M D, STANCU E C. Small size plasma tools for material processing at atmospheric pressure[J]. Appl. Surf. Sci, 2009, 255: 5448-5452. DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2008.10.082.
[28] KOSTOV K G, NISHIME T M C, CASTRO A H R. Surface modification of polymeric materials by cold atmospheric plasma jet[J]. Appl Surf Sci, 2014, 314: 367-375. DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2014.07.009
[29] ONYSHCHENKO I, NIKIFOROV A Y, DEGEYTER N. Local analysis of pet surface functionalization by an atmospheric pressure plasma jet[J]. Plasma Process Polym, 2015, 12: 466-476. DOI: 10.1002/ppap.201400166.
[30] CAO Z, WALSH J L, KONG M G. Atmospheric plasma jet array in parallel electric and gas flow fields for three-dimensional surface treatment[J]. Appl Phys Lett, 2009, 94: 021501. DOI: 10.1063/1.3069276.
[31] CAO Z, NIE Q, BAYLISS D L. Spatially extended atmospheric plasma arrays[J]. Plasma Sources Sci Technol, 2010,19: 02500. DOI: 10.1088/0963-0252/19/2/025003.
[32] AKISHEV Y, GRUSHIN M, DYATKO N. Studies on cold plasma-polymer surface interaction by example of PP- and PET-films[J]. J Phys D: Appl Phys, 2008, 41: 235203. DOI: 10.1088/0022-3727/41/23/235203.
[33] LI X C, CHU J D, ZHANG Q. Performance of a large-scale barrier discharge plume improved by an upstream auxiliary barrier discharge[J]. Appl Phys Lett, 2016, 109: 204102. DOI: 10.1063/1.4966558.
[34] LI X C, BAO W T, JIA P Y. A brush-shaped air plasma jet operated in glow discharge mode at atmospheric pressure[J]. J Appl Phys, 2014, 116: 023302. DOI: 10.1063/1.4889923.
[35] ZHU J, GAO J, LI Z. Sustained diffusive alternating current gliding arc discharge in atmospheric pressure air[J]. Appl Phys Lett, 2014,105: 234102. DOI: 10.1063/1.4903781.