Poly(vinyl alcohol) desizing mechanism via atmospheric pressure plasma exposure

Abstract

Atmospheric plasma desizing of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) films was investigated using PVA films supplied by MonoSol LLC®. The MonoSol (MS) films were exposed to atmospheric plasma for 0.5 to 5.0 min in thirty-second increments with additional specimens exposed for 8.0 and 10.0 min durations. Plasma treatment included exposure to helium plasma (He), oxygenated-helium plasma (He/O2), and helium/carbon tetrafluoride (He/CF4) plasma. The treated films were characterized by weight loss, surface ablation, molecular weight, and solubitity. Weight loss data suggested a mechanism of continual ablation, which increases with increased exposure time until saturation. Redeposition of ablated species may take place because the treatment is in a closed geometry and thus the saturation trend slightly changes. Thickness changes/surface ablation is in good correlation with the weight loss trends, which suggests that the ablation mechanism is responsible for surface removal. Gel permeation chromatography showed a progressive reduction in the © 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.