Functionalisation of polystyrene surface using atmospheric-pressure DCSBD plasma in pure O2 and N2: Enhanced wettability and surface properties
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | POLYMER |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2025.129510 |
| Doi | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2025.129510 |
| Keywords | Plasma surface functionalisation; Polystyrene; Diffuse coplanar surface barrier discharge; SEM; AFM; XPS |
| Description | Polystyrene (PS) suffers from inherent surface limitations such as low surface energy and poor wettability, which hinder its performance in applications requiring strong adhesion, coating, or biocompatibility. These limitations restrict its broader utility in biomedical engineering, microfluidics, and flexible electronics. To address these challenges, we employed atmospheric pressure diffuse coplanar surface barrier discharge (DCSBD) plasma treatment using pure oxygen and nitrogen gases to enhance the surface properties of PS. Our study demonstrates that even a short exposure time of 0.5–2 s can significantly increase the hydrophilicity of the PS surface, with WCA decreasing from 94.2° to 27.2° and 30.5° using nitrogen and oxygen as working gases, respectively. The improvements were sustained, notably after 7 days of aging, confirming the semi-permanence of plasma effects. Additionally, surface morphology and chemistry analyses (AFM, SEM, XPS) revealed gas-dependent increases in roughness and the incorporation of functional groups, further supporting the improved wettability and potential for enhanced surface interactions. This work demonstrates a rapid, low-cost, and vacuum-free method to overcome the surface limitations of PS, expanding its functionality for advanced material applications. |
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