Typical applications
- Generate oxygen-containing surface functional groups, such as carboxylic acids.
- Improve surface wettability
- Increase surface roughness
- Improve bonding strength of adhesive on the polymer surface
The inherent low surface energy of polymers and lack of appropriate functional groups causes coatings and adhesives to adhere poorly to these materials. Plastic surfaces can be quickly functionalized by exposure to oxygen or oxygen-containing plasmas, such that they form strong, permanent bonds to coatings and adhesives. The improvements in bond strength are due to the addition of oxygen-containing functional groups along the polymer chain, and more specifically to the addition of carboxylic acids. Prolonged plasma etching can also change the surface roughness of the polymer and composite materials. Plasma treated surface also exhibits excellent surface wettability.

