skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

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

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4898134· OSTI ID:22350932

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.

OSTI ID:
22350932
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 105, Issue 15; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English