Adhesive properties of PTFE modified by DC discharge

Abstract

It is shown that low-pressure DC discharge treatment of PTFE films at both the anode and cathode leads to substantial enhancement of the contact properties of the polymer surface and alters considerably the adhesion properties of PTFE film surface. A procedure is developed for determination the adhesion characteristics of the modified surface of plasma treated thin polymer films using Scotch® 810 adhesive tape. The procedure comprises of a study of the surface coating created by means of physical vapor deposition of an aluminum layer with thickness of the order of 100 nm, an adhesive joint of the film with Scotch® 810 tape, and T-peel testing of the specimen. Using this procedure, the peel resistance of the initial and the modified PTFE film on both the anode and the cathode in DC discharge is measured. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.