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Designing Hydrophobicity of the PLA Polymer Blend Surfaces by ICP Etching
Author(s) -
Vrsaljko Domagoj,
Grčić Ivana,
Guyon Cédric,
Schelcher Guillaume,
Tatoulian Michael
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
plasma processes and polymers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1612-8869
pISSN - 1612-8850
DOI - 10.1002/ppap.201500218
Subject(s) - contact angle , materials science , etching (microfabrication) , fluorocarbon , polymer , polyethylene , polymer blend , morphology (biology) , coating , composite material , wetting , phase (matter) , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , copolymer , layer (electronics) , chemistry , organic chemistry , engineering , biology , genetics
A novel method for designing hydrophobicity of the polylactide/low‐density polyethylene (PLA/PE‐LD) blends by creating specific surface topography is proposed. In order to increase hydrophobicity by changing the topography of two‐phase PLA polymer blend surface, blends are etched by using ICP before the fluorocarbon‐based coating treatment done in the second step. During the surface treatment process PLA is etched significantly more than PE‐LD and specific “island‐like” surface morphology is created. It has small pillars, 15 µm wide and approximately 125 µm away from each other, which after the fluorocarbon‐based treatment has very high contact angle (>120°). Without the etching, due to smooth surface, PLA/PE‐LD 90/10 polymer blend contact angle is between 100° and 110°.