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Surface modification of spectra™‐900 polyethylene fibers using RF‐plasma
Author(s) -
Rostami Hossein,
Iskandarani Bassel,
Kamel Ihab
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.750130309
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , ultimate tensile strength , polyethylene , argon , allylamine , plasma polymerization , fiber , plasma etching , coating , plasma , etching (microfabrication) , polymerization , epoxy , surface modification , analytical chemistry (journal) , polymer , chemical engineering , layer (electronics) , chemistry , chromatography , organic chemistry , physics , polyelectrolyte , quantum mechanics , engineering
RF‐plasma polymerization and bonding of allylamine onto ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) “Spectra™‐900” is described using an inductively coupled plasma reactor. This process was found to enhance the interfacial strength between the fibers (Spectra‐900) and room‐temperature‐cured epoxy matrix up to fivefold. Fibers covalently coated with allylamine plasma showed no loss in tensile strength, while argon gas plasma pretreatment of the same fibers caused up to 10% reduction in tensile strength depending on the energy and duration of the treatment. Optimum treatment was attained through a short argon plasma etching (15 s), followed by allylamine polymerization and coating for 3 min. The coating process was found to protect the fiber surface from etching by plasma ion bombardment. A loss of 19% of the original diameter was found during the 15 s precoating etching with argon plasma, indicating the sensitivity of the fiber structure to plasma etching.