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Modification of surface wettability of sodium ionomer sheets via atmospheric plasma treatment
Author(s) -
España J.M.,
García D.,
Sánchez L.,
López J.,
Balart R.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.23218
Subject(s) - wetting , materials science , contact angle , ionomer , surface modification , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , surface energy , scanning electron microscope , atmospheric pressure plasma , adhesive , composite material , plasma , chemical engineering , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , polymer , copolymer , chromatography , physics , layer (electronics) , quantum mechanics , engineering
Abstract In this study, atmospheric plasma treatment has been used to modify the wetting properties of ethylene‐methacrylic acid sodium ionomer. The effects of the plasma treatment on surface properties of this ionomer have been followed by contact angle measurements, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). With the use of these techniques, the overall effects on activation–functionalization and surface topography changes have been determined in terms of the processing parameters of the atmospheric plasma treatment (rate and distance). The obtained results show a remarkable increase of the wetting properties and optimum balanced behavior is obtained for atmospheric plasma treatment with a rate of 100 mm/s and a distance of 6 mm; in this case, surface free energy is increased from 33 mJ/m 2 (untreated ionomer) up to 62 mJ/m 2 , maintaining good transparency. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers