Parametric study of plasma surface activation of PTFE by multi-hollow surface DBD atmospheric pressure plasma generated in air, H2/N2 gas mixture and oxygen: Influence of process parameters
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Vacuum |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vacuum.2025.114861 |
| Doi | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vacuum.2025.114861 |
| Keywords | Polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon ;PTFE); Atmospheric plasma; Surface modification; Plasma treatment optimization; Wettability; Roughness |
| Description | This study systematically investigates the surface activation of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) foils using atmospheric pressure plasma generated by a multi-hollow surface dielectric barrier discharge (MSDBD) system. The effects of different working gases—air, H2/N2, and pure oxygen—were evaluated. Wettability was assessed by water contact angle (WCA) and surface free energy measurements. Changes in surface chemistry, and roughness were characterized using XPS and AFM. Plasma treatment significantly enhances surface wettability in all cases, with WCA decreasing from ~114° for the untreated to below 93° after 1 s air and H2/N2 plasma treatment, and to ~97° after 1 s O2 plasma treatment. While a slight degree of wettability recovery was noted during the initial days following air and oxygen plasma treatment, the improved wettability was largely maintained after two weeks of storage, with H2/N2 plasma showing virtually no hydrophobic recovery. The remote plasma characteristics of MSDBD allowed for effective surface modification within a treatment distance of 0.1–1 mm, particularly for air and H2/N2 plasmas, demonstrating robust and scalable capabilities for industrial applications. XPS analysis revealed the incorporation of oxygen-containing functional groups, most prominently for the H2/N2 plasma treatment, where the CO/CF ratio increased 14 % at most. These chemical modifications were accompanied by changes in surface roughness, which varied depending on the gas type and treatment duration. |
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