Application of low temperature plasma treatment for thermoplastic composites

New Method for Optimization of Polymer Powder Plasma Treatment for Composite Materials

“…Such treatment is already available on an industrial scale [ 13 , 14 ]. As shown in [ 15 , 16 , 17 ], plasma treatment of PE powder alters its surface properties and dramatically increases its adhesion to glass, metal and natural fibers. It is a highly variable process and, therefore, it is necessary to find optimal settings for a specific use [ 13 , 18 ].…”

“…In the case of weak tested joint (sample from low-adhesion polymer, e.g., PE), samples can fall apart even with a delicate manipulation. Samples combining high-adhesion polymers (plasma-treated PE) and glass often crack in the glass on their own [ 15 ]. Pull-off test—mold ( Figure 1 b): The method described in [ 17 , 27 , 28 ] measures the adhesion in tensile mode (force perpendicular to the joint surface).…”

“…In the case of weak tested joint (sample from low-adhesion polymer, e.g., PE), samples can fall apart even with a delicate manipulation. Samples combining high-adhesion polymers (plasma-treated PE) and glass often crack in the glass on their own [ 15 ].…”

Adhesion Improvement between PE and PA in Multilayer Rotational Molding

“…An example is the plasma surface treatment of fibers, which improves their wettability and thus the adhesion to the polymer matrix [30][31][32][33][34]. In the study [35], an increase up to 73% in the strength of the plasma-treated PE matrix reinforced with glass fibers was reported, compared to the matrix in the raw condition. The mechanical properties improved even when the plasma-treated PE matrix was reinforced with natural coconut fibers.…”