Surface characterization of plasma‐treated PTFE surfaces: an OES, XPS and contact angle study

Abstract

Abstract PTFE surfaces have been exposed to neutral atoms and molecules, and to electrons originating from a modified RF nitrogen plasma, able to filter out the cations. The changes in surface energy of the modified polymer, determined by the water contact angle, are linearly related to the increase of the nitrogen concentration at the surface, determined by XPS. The deconvolution of the spectral envelope of the C 1s photoelectron peak shows a strong modification of the nature of the chemical groups on the surface, depending on the treatment time and on the plasma power. Electrons are postulated to be mainly responsible for the appearance of the CF 3 group, while the major functions induced by nitrogen seem to be CN, CN and a possible FCN group. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.