Surface Modification of PET, PS, PE Polymers by Single RF Plasma Discharge

Surfaces of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), polystyrene (PS), and polyethylene (PE) polymer materials are modified by a single capacitively coupled radio frequency (RF) plasma discharge. These polymers are commonly used in many areas such as textile, food packaging, and biomedical
^1–3
. To enhance the properties of adhesion and printability, or to improve the biocompatibility, the surface energies of the polymers are increased using the plasma technology. Utilizing the RF plasma discharge can modify the surface chemistry of polymers without changing their bulk properties. The effect of plasma is only up to the first few nanometers (1–10 nm) of the surface and leads to form new functionalized groups having high crosslinking and branched structures
^{1, 4}
.