Physical mechanisms of interaction of cold plasma with polymer surfaces

Edward Bormashenko; Gene Whyman; Victor Multanen; Evgeny Shulzinger; Gilad Chaniel

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2015.02.025

Physical mechanisms of interaction of cold plasma with polymer surfaces

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2015 Jun 15:448:175-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2015.02.025. Epub 2015 Feb 17.

Authors

Edward Bormashenko¹, Gene Whyman², Victor Multanen³, Evgeny Shulzinger², Gilad Chaniel⁴

Affiliations

¹ Ariel University, Physics Faculty, P.O.B. 3, 40700 Ariel, Israel; Ariel University, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Faculty, P.O.B. 3, 40700 Ariel, Israel. Electronic address: edward@ariel.ac.il.
² Ariel University, Physics Faculty, P.O.B. 3, 40700 Ariel, Israel.
³ Ariel University, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Faculty, P.O.B. 3, 40700 Ariel, Israel.
⁴ Ariel University, Physics Faculty, P.O.B. 3, 40700 Ariel, Israel; Bar Ilan University, Physics Faculty, 52900 Ramat Gan, Israel.

PMID: 25733393
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2015.02.025

Abstract

Physical mechanisms of the interaction of cold plasmas with organic surfaces are discussed. Trapping of plasma ions by the CH2 groups of polymer surfaces resulting in their electrical charging is treated. Polyethylene surfaces were exposed to the cold radiofrequency air plasma for different intervals of time. The change in the wettability of these surfaces was registered. The experimentally established characteristic time scales of the interaction of cold plasma with polymer surfaces are inversely proportional to the concentration of ions. The phenomenological kinetic model of the electrical charging of polymer surfaces by plasmas is introduced and analyzed.

Keywords: Characteristic time of ion trapping; Cold plasma; Ion trapping; Kinetics of charging; Polymer surface; Wettability.