Cold Plasma-An Efficient Tool for Nanotechnological Modification of Polyester-Based Polymers

Abstract

Polyester surface was pretreated by cold plasma to improve its adhesive properties. The changes in the chemical structure of the pretreated polymer were analyzed by attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The changes in the polyester surface morphology were studied using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The surface energy, and its polar contribution, as well as the peel strengths of the adhesive joints of polyester, modified by cold plasma to polyacrylate, increased significantly. The efficiency of the material modification depends on a type of discharge, the used gases, the power of plasma source, as well as on the time of modification treatment. Aging of the polymer modified by plasma was also investigated. A correlation between adhesion of polyester modified by cold plasma to polyacrylate and its surface energy was found.