RF Plasma Treatment of Poly-Tetra-Fluoro-Ethylene (PTFE ) Polymer Using Air and Argon gases

2018
Volume 4
Issue 2
King Khalid University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences

This study aims at identifying the properties of PTFE  (poly-tetra-fluoroethylene) polymer surface after the application of RF plasma treatment using air and Argon gases.     The morphology and roughness of the PTFE surface were observed by using the atomic force microscope (AFM). Treatment in Ar plasma causes changes in the roughness and morphology of the surface, but air plasma treatment does not cause changes in the surface. The study utilizes a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) measurements for analyzing and characterizing the treated surface of the PTFE polymer. One of the findings of the study is that the plasma exposure time has the most significant effect on the changes in the surface of the polymer. Longer plasma treatment proves better PTEF by polymer exposure time, and RF plasma treatment in Ar gas causes significant morphological and chemical changes. Little Changes in the surface caused by air plasma treatment are observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A significant change was observed in the X-ray diagram for both air an Argon plasma treated surface.

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