AN ATMOSPHERIC-PRESSURE PLASMA JET TREATMENT OF POLYETHYLENE POLYMER FILMS FOR WETTABILITY ENHANCEMENT

An atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ) is used to increase the wettability of polyethylene polymer films. Reduction in contact angle from 94.32 to 58.33 degrees was measured for treatment times of 1 - 5 seconds. Contact angle reductions of PE as a function of treatment time with APPJ and PE surface at various oxygen percentages admixtures in He gas, suggest that the surface reaction mechanism is related to the atomic oxygen density produced in the APPJ.