Surface Modification of Polyethylene Powder by Atmospheric Pressure Glow Plasma

Dispersed PE powder was carried into an RF-APG -plasma zone by gas flow, and was treated; treatment time was about 30 ms. Plasma-treated PE powder was gathered by a filter, then measured by chemical derivatization techniques using XPS. Oxidized PE powder showed enough hydrophilicity to disperse in water completely even though the treatment time was quite short. The degree of oxidization could be controlled by changing discharge power and oxygen gas content. Though PE powder was not nitrided enough by NH3/He plasma under any plasma conditions, it was found that nitriding was promoted by increasing the number of treatments.