Evolution of the Surface Wettability of PET Polymer upon Treatment with an Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Jet

A useful technique for pre-treatment of polymers for improved biocompatibility is surface activation. A method for achieving optimal wettability at a minimal thermal load and unwanted modifications of the polymer properties is elaborated in this paper. Samples of polyethylene terephthalate polymer were exposed to an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet created by a high-impedance low-frequency discharge in wet argon. Different treatment times and distances from the end of the glowing discharge enabled detailed investigation of the evolution of surface activation. A rather fast saturation of the surface wettability over the area of the order of cm2 was observed upon direct treatment with the glowing discharge. At a distance of few mm from the glowing discharge, the activation was already two orders of magnitude lower. Further increase of the distance resulted in negligible surface effects. In the cases of a rapid activation, very sharp interphase between the activated and unaffected surface was observed and explained by peculiarities of high-impedance discharges sustained in argon with the presence of impurities of water vapor. Results obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed that the activation was a consequence of functionalization with oxygen functional groups.

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Surface Modification of FeCoNiCr Medium-Entropy Alloy (MEA) Using Octadecyltrichlorosilane and Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Jet

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym12040788 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 788

Author(s):

Pei-Yu Cheng ◽

Nian-Hu Lu ◽

Yi-Sheng Lu ◽

Chih-Hsuan Chen ◽

Yueh-Lien Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Corrosion Resistance ◽

Surface Modification ◽

Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽

Atmospheric Pressure ◽

Electrochemical Impedance ◽

Surface Condition ◽

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma ◽

Plasma Jet ◽

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet ◽

Pressure Plasma

Surface condition and corrosion resistance are major concerns when metallic materials are going to be utilized for applications. In this study, FeCoNiCr medium-entropy alloy (MEA) is first treated with a nitrogen atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ) and then coated with octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) for the surface modification. The hydrophobicity of the FeCoNiCr MEA was effectively improved by OTS-coating treatment, APPJ treatment, or the combination of both treatments (OTS-coated APPJ-treated), which increased the water contact angle from 54.49° of the bare MEA to 70.56°, 93.94°, and 88.42°, respectively. Potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests demonstrate that the APPJ-treated FeCoNiCr MEA exhibits the best anti-corrosion properties. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that APPJ treatment at 700 °C oxidizes all the alloying elements in the FeCoNiCr MEA, which demonstrates that a short APPJ treatment of two-minute is effective in forming a metal oxide layer on the surface to improve the corrosion resistance of FeCoNiCr MEA. These results provide a convenient and rapid method for improving surface properties of FeCoNiCr MEA.

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Surface activation of polyethylene with an argon atmospheric pressure plasma jet: Influence of applied power and flow rate

Applied Surface Science ◽

10.1016/j.apsusc.2014.12.075 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 328 ◽

pp. 269-278 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

A. Van Deynse ◽

P. Cools ◽

C. Leys ◽

N. De Geyter ◽

R. Morent

Keyword(s):

Flow Rate ◽

Atmospheric Pressure ◽

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma ◽

Plasma Jet ◽

Surface Activation ◽

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet ◽

Pressure Plasma

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A new approach to surface activation of porous nanomaterials using non-thermal helium atmospheric pressure plasma jet treatment

Chemical Communications ◽

10.1039/c7cc02927f ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 53 (50) ◽

pp. 6704-6707 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Farkfun Duriyasart ◽

Masataka Ohtani ◽

Jun-Seok Oh ◽

Akimitsu Hatta ◽

Kazuya Kobiro

Keyword(s):

Surface Properties ◽

Atmospheric Pressure ◽

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma ◽

Plasma Jet ◽

Surface Activation ◽

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet ◽

Optimum Conditions ◽

New Approach ◽

Pressure Plasma ◽

Porous Nanomaterials

Facile treatment of mesoporous nanomaterials by a helium APPJ under optimum conditions activates the surface of the materials by removing contaminants without damaging their morphologies and surface properties.

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Investigation of Surface Modification of Polystyrene by a Direct and Remote Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Jet Treatment

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma13112435 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (11) ◽

pp. 2435

Author(s):

Alenka Vesel ◽

Gregor Primc

Keyword(s):

Functional Groups ◽

Atmospheric Pressure ◽

Treatment Time ◽

Polymer Surface ◽

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma ◽

Plasma Jet ◽

Contact Angles ◽

Surface Wettability ◽

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet ◽

Pressure Plasma

Localized functionalization of polymer surface with an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet was investigated at various treatment conditions. Polystyrene samples were treated with the plasma jet sustained in argon under direct or remote conditions. The two-dimensional evolution of surface wettability and the spot size of the treated area was determined systematically by measuring apparent water contact angles. Modification of surface chemistry and the formation of functional groups were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The saturation of surface wettability and functional groups was observed even after a second of treatment providing the sample was placed close to the exhaust of the discharge tube. The spot diameter of the modified area increased logarithmically with increasing treatment time. However, it decreased linearly when increasing the distance. At the edge of the glowing plasma, however, the modification of surface properties was more gradual, so even 30 s of treatment caused marginal effects. With a further increase in the distance from the edge of the glowing plasma, however, there were no further treatment effects. The results are explained by significant axial as well as radial gradients of reactive species, in particular hydroxyl radicals.

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Time Evolution Characterization of Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Jet (APPJ)-Synthesized Pt-SnOx Catalysts

Metals ◽

10.3390/met8090690 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (9) ◽

pp. 690 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Chia-Chun Lee ◽

Tzu-Ming Huang ◽

I-Chun Cheng ◽

Cheng-Che Hsu ◽

Jian-Zhang Chen

Keyword(s):

Time Evolution ◽

Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽

Atmospheric Pressure ◽

Electrochemical Impedance ◽

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma ◽

Precursor Solution ◽

Plasma Jet ◽

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet ◽

Counter Electrodes ◽

Pressure Plasma

We characterize the time evolution (≤120 s) of atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ)-synthesized Pt-SnOx catalysts. A mixture precursor solution consisting of chloroplatinic acid and tin(II) chloride is spin-coated on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrates, following which APPJ is used for converting the spin-coated precursors. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicates the conversion of a large portion of metallic Pt and a small portion of metallic Sn (most Sn is in oxidation states) from the precursors with 120 s APPJ processing. The dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) efficiency with APPJ-synthesized Pt-SnOx CEs is improved greatly with only 5 s of APPJ processing. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Tafel experiments confirm the catalytic activities of Pt-SnOx catalysts. The DSSC performance can be improved with a short APPJ processing time, suggesting that a DC-pulse nitrogen APPJ can be an efficient tool for rapidly synthesizing catalytic Pt-SnOx counter electrodes (CEs) for DSSCs.

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Carbon Dioxide Tornado-Type Atmospheric-Pressure-Plasma-Jet-Processed rGO-SnO2 Nanocomposites for Symmetric Supercapacitors

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma14112777 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (11) ◽

pp. 2777

Author(s):

Jung-Hsien Chang ◽

Song-Yu Chen ◽

Yu-Lin Kuo ◽

Chii-Rong Yang ◽

Jian-Zhang Chen

Keyword(s):

Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽

Atmospheric Pressure ◽

Electrode Materials ◽

Retention Rate ◽

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma ◽

Plasma Jet ◽

Carbon Cloth ◽

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet ◽

Active Electrode ◽

Pressure Plasma

Pastes containing reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and SnCl2 solution were screen printed on carbon cloth and then calcined using a CO2 tornado-type atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ). The tornado circulation of the plasma gas enhances the mixing of the reactive plasma species and thus ensures better reaction uniformity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were performed to characterize the synthesized rGO-SnO2 nanocomposites on carbon cloth. After CO2 tornado-type APPJ treatment, the pastes were converted into rGO-SnO2 nanocomposites for use as the active electrode materials of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-H2SO4 gel-electrolyte flexible supercapacitors (SCs). Various APPJ scanning times were tested to obtain SCs with optimized performance. With seven APPJ scans, the SC achieved the best areal capacitance of 37.17 mF/cm2 in Galvanostatic charging/discharging (GCD) and a capacitance retention rate of 84.2% after 10,000-cycle cyclic voltammetry (CV) tests. The capacitance contribution ratio, calculated as pseudocapacitance/electrical double layer capacitance (PC/EDLC), is ~50/50 as analyzed by the Trasatti method. GCD data were also analyzed to obtain Ragone plots; these indicated an energy density comparable to those of SCs processed using a fixed-point nitrogen APPJ in our previous study.

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High-Accuracy Surface Topography Manufacturing for Continuous Phase Plates Using an Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet

Micromachines ◽

10.3390/mi12060683 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 683

Author(s):

Huiliang Jin ◽

Caixue Tang ◽

Haibo Li ◽

Yuanhang Zhang ◽

Yaguo Li

Keyword(s):

Surface Topography ◽

Atmospheric Pressure ◽

High Efficiency ◽

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma ◽

Plasma Jet ◽

Continuous Phase ◽

High Accuracy ◽

Phase Plate ◽

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet ◽

Pressure Plasma

The continuous phase plate (CPP) is the vital diffractive optical element involved in laser beam shaping and smoothing in high-power laser systems. The high gradients, small spatial periods, and complex features make it difficult to achieve high accuracy when manufacturing such systems. A high-accuracy and high-efficiency surface topography manufacturing method for CPP is presented in this paper. The atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) system is presented and the removal characteristics are studied to obtain the optimal processing parameters. An optimized iterative algorithm based on the dwell point matrix and a fast Fourier transform (FFT) is proposed to improve the accuracy and efficiency in the dwell time calculation process. A 120 mm × 120 mm CPP surface topography with a 1326.2 nm peak-to-valley (PV) value is fabricated with four iteration steps after approximately 1.6 h of plasma processing. The residual figure error between the prescribed surface topography and plasma-processed surface topography is 28.08 nm root mean square (RMS). The far-field distribution characteristic of the plasma-fabricated surface is analyzed, for which the energy radius deviation is 11 μm at 90% encircled energy. The experimental results demonstrates the potential of the APPJ approach for the manufacturing of complex surface topographies.

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