In this work, surface properties of PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) modified by Plasma Immersion (PI), and Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation (PIII) were studied. Nitrogen and sulfur hexafluoride plasmas were used in a vacuum system coupled to a radiofrequency (rf) generator (13.56 MHz). Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) detected the presence of new molecular groups on the PET surface after the treatment. Measurements of the contact angle, Ɵ, revealed a strong dependence of the surface wettability on the plasma parameters, control of which allows the production of hydrophilic or hydrophobic surfaces. The ion fluence was modelled as function of the penetration depth using suitable software (SRIM 2008) and is useful to understand the damage caused by ion implantation of the PET (ρ = 1.39 g/cm 3). The optical transmittance of the treated material in the visible region, T (λ), depends on the gas used and the electrical configuration of the plasma. Water-vapor transmission rate (WVTR) revealed an increase in the barrier properties of the treated PET. PIII technique and N2 bombardment are more appropriate than plasma immersion and SF6 bombardment to increase T (λ) of PET in the visible region.
Polymers substrates have several distinct advantages, such as ruggedness, robustness, ultra-lightness, conformability, and impact resistance over glass substrates for optical applications. However, it is required high transparency, proper surface roughness, low gas permeability and high transparent electrode conductivity of the plastic substrate for commercial applications. In this work was analyzed the surface morphology of polymer samples modified by plasma immersion techniques. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) polymers were treated by different RF plasma immersion modes (at low and high energy ion implantation) and discharge conditions. Sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6) and nitrogen (N 2) gases were employed as a source of fluorine and inert plasma, respectively. Wettability surface shows that, it is possible to reach either high or low contact angle values, (10º < Ɵ < 130º), depending on the plasma technique and gas employed. The surface morphology was measured with atomic operating on air. Both 10 × 10 µm and 1 × 1 µm images were acquired and the surface roughness was characterized in terms of the root mean square roughness, Rz, for both imaged areas. In general, the smoothness of PET was maintained for some plasma treatments. Optical Transmittance, T (λ), was performed using a UV-Vis-NIR spectrometer ranging from 190 nm to 3300 nm. The results show that the low energy ion implantation is more efficient to promote the loss of T (λ) at visible light, making the PET surface hydrophilic, even in fluorine plasmas. The treatments were satisfactory, daring to maintain, or even, to increase the PET transparency at visible light in restrict conditions.
The goal of this work was to study the wettability of the recycled polyvinylchloride (PVC) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) surface, in which was used the technique of Plasma immersion (PI), by means of ionic bombardment using the gas Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) with total pressures down to 100 torr. The substrates were confined in a low vacuum reactor, and gas was excited by a radiofrequency discharge source, RF: (13.56 MHz) applied to the lower electrode (sample holder), coupled to a match in box. The surface wettability result of these polymers via "contact angle, ϴ", were compared with parallel studies in the literature. In this case, the technique of Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy (FTIR) was applied in order to analyze the possible physico-chemical changes in the surface of the polymers in the presence of an organic film of Isopropanol, SF 6 , whose values of ϴ were lower than the untreated material, even in the fluorinated atmosphere.Therefore, the parameters pressure, time or discharge power of RF were varied, In all cases, moderate to high fluorine is considered, with contact angles close to 120º are inferior to a similar treatment in literature, in which it was applied, a cooling prototype of the sampled electrode throughout the process; condition that resulted in PVC, ϴ ~ 156º (surface with higher degree of fluorine); and PET in turn reached ϴ ~ 140 °.
Polymer substrates have several distinct advantages, such as, robustness, low density, impact resistance, and conformity over glass substrates for optical applications. Some applications are impeded, however, owing to its low adhesion to thin films, surface roughness, and low gas permeability. In this work, the wettability and the surface morphology of Poly(Vinyl) Chloride, PVC, samples were modified by plasma immersion. PVC was chosen because of its already wide use and low cost: PVC is used in floor coverings, plumbing, electrical insulation, hoses, containers, and other accessories. In this work, plasma immersion was used to modify the chemical structure of white PVC, producing high values of contact angles (θ > 100º) in fluorine plasmas, measured immediately after treatments, and until 30 days after. Also, it was detected low values of contact angles (θ < 50º) in nitrogen plasmas. Atomic Force Microscopy revealed smooth surfaces, whose roughness, R z , was less than ~13 nm, except for plasma immersion cathode, which yielded a R z of ~213 nm.
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