Direct-current discharge treatment of polytetrafluoroethylene films

Abstract

The effect of treatment in a low-pressure dc discharge on the surface properties of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) films modified at the anode and cathode was examined. It was found that the anode treatment of the films considerably improves the adhesive properties of the polymer and makes it possible to obtain substantially lower values of the contact angle and higher values of the work of adhesion and surface energy than in the case of other PTFE surface modification techniques. By means of IR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, it was shown that discharge treatment at the anode and cathode noticeably increases the amount of oxygen-containing groups on the surface of the films.