Permanent hydrophilization of outer and inner surfaces of polytetrafluoroethylene tubes using ambient air plasma generated by surface dielectric barrier discharges

• Published in: Applied physics letters Vol. 105; no. 15
• Main Authors: Pavliňák, D., Galmiz, O., Zemánek, M., Brablec, A., Čech, J., Černák, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melville American Institute of Physics 13-10-2014
• Subjects: Air plasma; Applied physics; AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS; ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE; CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; CURRENTS; Dielectric barrier discharge; DIELECTRIC MATERIALS; Dielectrics; ELECTRIC POTENTIAL; FLUORINE; Heat treatment; High speed cameras; LAYERS; PLASMA; Plasma layers; PLASTICS; POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE; Surface treatment; SURFACE TREATMENTS; SURFACES; Tubes; Visual observation; X ray spectra; X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
• ISSN: 0003-6951; 1077-3118
• DOI: 10.1063/1.4898134

We present an atmospheric pressure ambient air plasma technique developed for technically simple treatment of inner and/or outer surfaces of plastic tubes and other hollow dielectric bodies. It is based on surface dielectric barrier discharge generating visually diffuse plasma layers along the treated dielectric surfaces using water-solution electrodes. The observed visual uniformity and measured plasma rotational and vibrational temperatures of 333 K and 2350 K indicate that the discharge can be readily applied to material surface treatment without significant thermal effect. This is exemplified by the obtained permanent surface hydrophilization of polytetrafluoroethylene tubes related to the replacement of a high fraction (more than 80%) of the surface fluorine determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A tentative explanation of the discharge mechanism based on high-speed camera observations and the discharge current and voltage of measurements is outlined.