Atmospheric Pressure Microwave Argon Plasma Sheet for Wettability Modification of Polyethylene Surfaces

Abstract

The characterization of an atmospheric pressure microwave argon plasma in the form of a plasma sheet and the results of its use in the investigation of the wettability modification of polyethylene (PE) surfaces are presented in this paper. The spectroscopic investigations performed indicate a plasma temperature at the level of 750–1100 K and an electron density at the level of 2.9– $5.4\times 10^{14}$ cm−3. The following PE-type specially prepared materials were subjected to the plasma treatment process: PE (pure low-density PE), PE + UV (PE with a UV stabilizer), PE − UV + M (with a UV stabilizer and a montmorillonite), PE + S (PE with soot), and PE − F (PE with a UV stabilizer, a montmorillonite, and soot). The experimental investigations prove the high potential of the presented method for the PE surface activation in industrial applications. The atomic force microscopy scanning of samples was performed before and after the plasma treatment. The aging of the adhesion enhancement effect indicates that the water contact angle is related to the surface energy changes.