M. S. Piskarev

Adhesive properties of plasma-modified polytetrafluoroethylene films

A procedure was developed for the determination of the adhesion characteristics of the modified surface of thin polymer films, including those treated in a low-temperature plasma, with the use of the Scotch® 810 adhesive tape. The procedure comprises coating the surface to be studied by physical vapor deposition with an aluminum layer of ∼100 nm thickness, making an adhesive joint of the film with the Scotch® 810 tape, and T-peel testing of the specimen. Using this procedure, the peel resistance of the initial PTFE film and the film modified at the cathode and the anode in dc discharge was measured.

Direct-Current Discharge Treatment of Polytetrafluoroethylene Films

The effect of treatment in a low-pressure dc discharge on the surface properties of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) films modified at the anode and cathode was examined. It was found that the anode treatment of the films considerably improves the adhesive properties of the polymer and makes it possible to obtain substantially lower values of the contact angle and higher values of the work of adhesion and surface energy than in the case of other PTFE surface modification techniques. By means of IR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, it was shown that discharge treatment at the anode and cathode noticeably increases the amount of oxygen-containing groups on the surface of the films.

Modification of the Surface Layers of Fluoropolymer Films by DC Discharge for the Purpose of the Improvement of Adhesion Properties

The effect of dc discharge treatment at the anode and cathode on the surface properties of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), tetrafluoroethylene–hexafluoropropylene copolymer (FEP) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) polymer films was studied. It was found that the modification of the films under conditions that ensure the separation of the discharge active species acting on the polymer materials makes it possible to achieve substantially lover values for the contact angle and higher values for the surface energy than in the case of other modes of discharge. The changes in the composition and structure of the films were studied by means of IR spectroscopy and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). It was found that new oxygen-containing groups are formed on the polymer surface as a result of dc discharge treatment. To appreciate the adhesion characteristics of fluoropolymer films modified by dc discharge, American Society for Testing and Materials Standard Test Method for Measuring Adhesion by Tape Test (ASTM D3359-02) was used. The adhesion tape Scotch 810 and vacuum metallization of the film surface are account for the basis of this method. It was found that the adhesive bonding strength of the plasma treated films substantially increased.

Alteration in the surface properties of direct-current discharge-treated tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer films

A change in the contact properties of the surface of a tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer film by treatment of its samples mounted on the cathode and anode in a dc discharge has been studied. It has been shown that the modification leads to a significant improvement in the contact properties of the films owing to the appearance of oxygen-containing polar groups on the polymer surface. The formation of such groups has been proved by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The peel strength of both the untreated and modified films was measured by the T-peel test method.

Surface modification of vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer films by direct-current discharge treatment

Changes in the contact properties of the surface of a vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer film by dc discharge treatment were studied. It was found that the modification considerably improved the contact properties of the films because of the appearance of oxygen-containing polar groups on the polymer surface. The formation of these groups was detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy.

Modification of Tetrafluoroethylene-Hexafluoropropylene Copolymer Films in Direct-Current Discharge

The effect of dc discharge treatment at the anode and cathode on the surface properties of tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer films was studied. It was found that the modification of the films under conditions that ensure the separation of the discharge active species acting on the polymer materials makes it possible to achieve substantially lower values for the contact angle and higher values for the work of adhesion and surface energy than in the case of other modes of discharge. A change in the composition and structure of the films was studied by means of IR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that new oxygen-containing groups are formed on the polymer surface as a result of plasma discharge treatment.

Modification of tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoropropylvinyl ether copolymer films in direct-current discharge

Changes induced in the surface properties of films of a tetrafluoroethylene copolymer with perfluoropropylvinyl ether by direct-current discharge have been investigated, depending on the discharge parameters. It has been shown that the treatment of the films at the anode is more effective than at the cathode. A change in the contact properties of the modified films during their storage in air under ambient conditions and upon heating to 150°C has been examined. The chemical composition of the surface of the films after modification, storage, and heating has been studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fouriertransform IR spectroscopy. It has been found that dc discharge treatment significantly improves the adhesion properties of the films and barely affects their light transmission.

Changes in the surface properties of plasma-modified polyfluoroolefin films during storage and heating

Changes in the wettability and surface contact properties of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer films modified in a direct current discharge at the cathode and anode depending on the storage time in air at room temperature and on heating to 200°C have been studied. Changes in the chemical composition of film surfaces have been examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

The effect of direct-current discharge treatment on the surface properties of a poly(1-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propyne) membrane

The effect of treatment in low-pressure direct-current discharge on the surface properties of poly(1-trimethylsilyl)-1-propyne) membranes was investigated by the goniometric technique. It was shown that the treatment of the membranes at the anode makes it possible to significantly improve their contact properties (to increase the hydrophilicity of the surface). The structure of the membranes before and after plasma treatment was examined by means of Fourier-transform IR reflection spectroscopy. In addition, the sorption of ethanol onto the plasma-treated and untreated membranes was studied with the use of this technique in the transmission mode and it was assumed that it proceeds via different mechanisms, a behavior that can be due to a change in the free volume of the polymer or the formation of a surface charge on the membrane as a result of plasma treatment.

Change in the surface properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride) films by treatment in direct-current discharge

It has been found that treatment in dc discharge results in a substantial and time-invariant increase in the surface energy of poly(vinylidene fluoride) films. This effect is obviously due to the formation of oxygen-containing groups on the polymer surface, a fact that is corroborated by Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data. It has been shown that dc discharge is more effective in altering the contact properties of the polymer surface than low-frequency glow discharge.