Effect of Glow-Discharge Plasma Treatment on Contact Angle and Micromorphology of Bamboo Green Surface

Abstract

The inner and outer surfaces of bamboo stems are usually removed prior to the manufacture of bamboo panels because the surfaces are hydrophobic and difficult to bond with glue. Hence, the recovery and utilization ratio of bamboo during processing is low. This study focused on using glow-discharge plasma to treat green bamboo surfaces to make them less hydrophobic. The effects of plasma treatment on green bamboo stems were examined using contact goniometry (wettability), non-contact confocal profilometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Confocal profilometry and SEM revealed that the morphology of green bamboo surfaces varied between 3 different stems. Plasma was able to etch bamboo green surfaces, and make them rougher and more powdery. Plasma treatment was effective at converting green bamboo surfaces from hydrophobic (initial contact angle >110°) to hydrophilic (contact angle <20°). However, this effect was temporary and contact angle increased with time and recovered approximately 30% of its original value after 24 h. Based on our findings, we conclude that plasma treatment can alter parameters such as surface energy and roughness that could improve glue bonding of green bamboo, but delays between plasma treatment and further processing would need to be minimized.