Surface treatment of para-aramid fiber by argon dielectric barrier discharge plasma at atmospheric pressure

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 258; no. 24; pp. 10168 - 10174
• Main Authors: Gu, Ruxi, Yu, Junrong, Hu, Chengcheng, Chen, Lei, Zhu, Jing, Hu, Zuming
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.10.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adhesive performance; Argon; Argon plasma; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Contact angle; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Dielectric barrier discharge; Exact sciences and technology; Exposure; Fibers; Flux; Interfacial shear strength; Para-aramid fiber; Physics; Wettability; Para-aramid fiber; Adhesive performance; Wettability; Dielectric barrier discharge; Argon plasma; Surface treatments; Argon; Fibers
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2012.06.100

► We use DBD technique to modify the surface of Kelvar29 fibers. ► The changed parameters include treated power, time and argon flux. ► There exists an optimum experimental condition of plasma treatment. ► Adhesion and wettability properties of fibers are improved through plasma treatment. This paper is focused on influence of argon dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma on the adhesive performance and wettability of para-aramid fibers and three parameters including treated power, exposure time and argon flux were detected. The interfacial shear strength (IFSS) was greatly increased by 28% with 300W, 60s, 2Lmin−1 argon flux plasma treatment. The content of oxygen atom and oxygen-containing polar functional groups were enhanced after the argon plasma treated, so as the surface roughness, which contributed to the improvement of surface wettability and the decrease of contact angle with water. However, long-time exposure, exorbitant power or overlarge argon flux could partly destroy the prior effects of the treatment and damage the mechanical properties of fibers to some degree.