Plasma and UV Surface Treatment of Polyester
topic
Atmospheric plasma treatment (corona, DBD plasma) modifies PET surface without wet chemistry: oxidation introduces –COOH, –OH, –C=O groups (XPS detectable), increasing surface energy from 43 to 65–70 mN/m, improving wettability, adhesion, printability, and dyeability without solvents. Treatment depth: 5–50 nm. Effect temporary (ageing: 50% recovery in 24 h due to chain reorientation). UV/ozone treatment: similar surface chemistry via photo-oxidation.
Role
Plasma treatment represents the frontier of sustainable textile processing, achieving surface modification without water or chemicals. Understanding the plasma-surface interaction at the molecular level integrates physics, surface chemistry, and textile processing.