Surface Modification of Organic Polymers by Low-temperature Plasma

Abstract

The energy of active species such as electrons, ions, excited atoms, excited molecules and ultraviolet rays generated in low-temperature plasma is comparable to the bond energy of organic compounds. In low-temperature plasma, these active species react with organic polymer to make free radicals in the suface layer and sometimes induce polymer surface etching. Consequently these radicals react with excited atoms and excited molecules in the plasma and oxygen in the air to make functional groups on the surface of the polymer, or react with each other to form crosslinking. Furthermore these radicals react with monomers to form graft co-polymerization layer on the surface of the polymer. The surface of the polymer treated with low-temperature plama has many characteristic properties such as high surface tension, good adhesiveness, decreased leakage of additives and so on. The low-temperature plasma treatment is useful and unique technique for modifying the surface of various polymers.