Use Of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet For Polymer Surface Modification

Atmospheric-pressure plasma jets (APPJs) are playing an increasingly important role in materials processing procedures. Plasma treatment is a useful tool to modify surface properties of materials, especially polymers. Plasma reacts with polymer surfaces in numerous ways thus the type of process gas and plasma conditions must be explored for chosen substrates and materials to maximize desired properties. This report discusses plasma treatments and looks further into atmospheric-pressure plasma jets and the effects of gases and plasma conditions. Following the short literature review, a general overview of the future work and research at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is discussed.

An indispensable volume detailing the current and potential applications of atmospheric pressure plasma treatment by experts practicing in fields around the world Polymers are used in a wide variety of industries to fabricate legions of products because of their many desirable traits. However, polymers in general (and polyolefins, in particular) are innately not very adhesionable because of the absence of polar or reactive groups on their surfaces and concomitant low surface energy. Surface treatment of polymers, however, is essential to impart reactive chemical groups on their surfaces to enhance their adhesion characteristic. Proper surface treatment can endow polymers with improved adhesion without affecting the bulk properties. A plethora of techniques (ranging from wet to dry, simple to sophisticated, vacuum to non-vacuum) for polymer surface modification have been documented in the literature but the Atmospheric Pressure Plasma (APP) treatment has attracted much attention because it offers many advantages vis-a-vis other techniques, namely uniform treatment, continuous operation, no need for vacuum, simplicity, low cost, no environmental or disposal concern, and applicability to large area samples. Although the emphasis in this book is on the utility of APP treatment for enhancement of polymer adhesion, APP is also applicable and effective to modulate many other surface properties of polymers: superhydrophilicity, superhydrophobicity, anti-fouling, anti-fogging, anti-icing, cell adhesion, biocompatibility, tribological behavior, etc. The key features of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Treatment of Polymers: Address design and functions of various types of reactors Bring out current and potential applications of APP treatment Represent the cumulative wisdom of many key academic and industry researchers actively engaged in this key and enabling technology

This book addresses plasma modification of polyolefin surfaces. It comprises 21 chapters divided into three major sections. The first section covers the different techniques used for plasma modification of polyolefin surfaces and the effects of various gases as a surrounding medium, while the second provides a detailed analysis of the physics and chemistry of plasma modification and discusses various innovative characterization techniques, as well as ageing of the modified surface. It focuses on the analysis of changes in polymers’ surface chemistry using various spectroscopic techniques, and of changes in their surface morphology after plasma treatment using optical microscopy, electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. In addition, it provides detailed information on the characterization of modified polymer surfaces. The book’s third and last section covers a range of applications of plasma-modified polyolefin surfaces varying from the packaging industry to the biomedical field, and shares valuable insights on the lifecycle analysis of plasma modification and modified surfaces.

The design and development of the plasma pressure jet is used throughout the thesis. The plasma jet's key components are discussed. Helium, argon, nitrogen, and air plasma were used to study the surface activation and bonding of cyclic olefin polymers. The plasma gas had a temperature less than 50 °C, making it suitable for polymer processing. The substrates were treated between 3 to 20 mm from the plasma exit. Air, as the plasma jet's feeding gas, creates a surface wettability of less than 10°. Water contact angle (WCA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and infrared spectroscopy (IR) were used to characterise the substrate surface properties. This study establishes atmospheric pressure plasma as a cost-effective method for making cyclic olefin polymers hydrophobic and super hyderophilic. Secondly, design expert V12 software was used to optimize the APPJ operating parameters to obtain the lowest COP water contact angle with the lowest pricing. More research is required to optimise the polymer's surface and reduce the number of repetitive experiments. Therefore, the plasma jet was detailed to better facilitate understanding. Voltage and current probes were used for electrical measurements, and optical characterisation was performed using optical emission spectroscopy. Hydrophobic recovery of polymers is a concern in a variety of applications, most notably microfluidic devices. The work presented in Chapter 5 resulted in a stable surface that remained stable for more than 60 days and was partially stable for approximately 180 days. Finally, we modified the surface of disposable glass for biosensor applications. In order to improve the optical properties, the gold of different thickness can be tailored in this work by varying plasma jet parameters. The surface treated was characterised using UV-VIS spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Although the results were not suitable for biosensor applications, the experiment was worthwhile.

Adhesives have been used for thousands of years, but until 100 years ago, the vast majority was from natural products such as bones, skins, fish, milk, and plants. Since about 1900, adhesives based on synthetic polymers have been introduced, and today, there are many industrial uses of adhesives and sealants. It is difficult to imagine a product—in the home, in industry, in transportation, or anywhere else for that matter—that does not use adhesives or sealants in some manner. The Handbook of Adhesion Technology is intended to be the definitive reference in the field of adhesion. Essential information is provided for all those concerned with the adhesion phenomenon. Adhesion is a phenomenon of interest in diverse scientific disciplines and of importance in a wide range of technologies. Therefore, this handbook includes the background science (physics, chemistry and materials science), engineering aspects of adhesion and industry specific applications. It is arranged in a user-friendly format with ten main sections: theory of adhesion, surface treatments, adhesive and sealant materials, testing of adhesive properties, joint design, durability, manufacture, quality control, applications and emerging areas. Each section contains about five chapters written by internationally renowned authors who are authorities in their fields. This book is intended to be a reference for people needing a quick, but authoritative, description of topics in the field of adhesion and the practical use of adhesives and sealants. Scientists and engineers of many different backgrounds who need to have an understanding of various aspects of adhesion technology will find it highly valuable. These will include those working in research or design, as well as others involved with marketing services. Graduate students in materials, processes and manufacturing will also want to consult it.

This book comprehensively addresses surface modification of natural fibers to make them more effective, cost-efficient, and environmentally friendly. Topics include the elucidation of important aspects surrounding chemical and green approaches for the surface modification of natural fibers, the use of recycled waste, properties of biodegradable polyesters, methods such as electrospinning, and applications of hybrid composite materials.

Plasma as the fourth state of matter is an ionized gas consisting of both negative and positive ions, electrons, neutral atoms, radicals, and photons. In the last few decades, atmospheric-pressure plasmas have started to attract increasing attention from both scientists and industry due to a variety of potential applications. Because of increasing interest in the topic, the focus of this book is on providing engineers and scientists with a fundamental understanding of the physical and chemical properties of different atmospheric-pressure plasmas via plasma diagnostic techniques and their applications. The book has been organized into two parts. Part I focuses on the latest achievements in advanced diagnostics of different atmospheric-pressure plasmas. Part II deals with applications of different atmospheric-pressure plasmas.

In this new book, an interdisciplinary and international team of experts provides an exploration of the emerging plasma science that is poised to make the plasma technology a reality in the manufacturing sector. The research presented here will stimulate new ideas, methods, and applications in the field of plasma science and nanotechnology. Plasma technology applications are being developed that could impact the global market for power, electronics, mineral, and other fuel commodities. Currently, plasma science is described as a revolutionary discipline in terms of its possible impact on industrial applications. It offers potential solutions to many problems using emerging techniques. In this book the authors provide a broad overview of recent trends in field plasma science and nanotechnology. Divided into several parts, Plasma and Fusion Science: From Fundamental Research to Technological Applications explores some basic plasma applications and research, space and atmospheric plasma, nuclear fusion, and laser plasma and industrial applications of plasma. A wide variety of cutting-edge topics are covered, including: • basic plasma physics • computer modeling for plasma • exotic plasma (including dusty plasma) • industrial plasma applications • laser plasma • nuclear fusion technology • plasma diagnostics • plasma processing • pulsed power • space astrophysical plasma • plasma and nanotechnology Pointing to current and possible future developments in plasma science and technology, the diverse research presented here will be valuable for researchers, scientists, industry professionals, and others involved in the revolutionary field of plasma and fusion science.

This book contains selected contributions on surface modification to improve the properties of solid materials. The surface properties are tailored either by functionalization, etching, or deposition of a thin coating. Functionalization is achieved by a brief treatment with non-equilibrium gaseous plasma containing suitable radicals that interact chemically with the material surface and thus enable the formation of rather stable functional groups. Etching is performed in order to modify the surface morphology. The etching parameters are selected in such a way that a rich morphology of the surfaces is achieved spontaneously on the sub-micrometer scale, without using masks. The combination of adequate surface morphology and functionalization of materials leads to superior surface properties which are particularly beneficial for the desired response upon incubation with biological matter. Alternatively, the materials are coated with a suitable thin film that is useful in various applications from food to aerospace industries.