Effects of a modified argon glow plasma source on PET polymeric surface properties

Abstract

A homemade plasma source with a Langmuir electrical probe was built in this work to create a plasma beam that could be utilized successfully in a range of uses. By modifying the operational parameters, including the discharging voltage, cathode–anode spacing and argon (Ar) pressure, a steady discharging medium was achieved. Additionally, a locally designed electrical probe was introduced into the discharging plasma to monitor the current–voltage (I–V) characteristics curve in order to assign plasma properties. The probe was moved to any intended destination in the plasma volume and had the following dimensions: 1 mm length and 0.5 mm diameter. The gas pressure and probe–cathode separation were modified to measure the plasma characteristics, including the electron density and electron temperature. It is found that as the pressure rises from 0.15 to 0.3 Torr, the electron temperature T e varies from 4.66 × 104 to 2.91 × 104 eV. When a poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) polymeric film is subjected to argon plasma beams, its surface wettability is altered. When the plasma period is increased from 0 to 8 min, the overall surface free energy rises from 32.2 to 67.7 mJ/m2. Additionally, the developed plasma source is highly efficient and tailored to satisfy the needs of applications such as polymeric surface modifications.