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Polyethylene film with water drops in three different zones |
Oxygen containing low pressure plasmas can generate new functional groups at a polymere
surface which can improve the adhesion to various materials. An oxidation renders a
hydrophobic surface hydrophilic. An oxygen plasma can also degrate organic material.
Such material can be etched or surfaces of metals can be cleaned by this process.
On the picture one can see a hydrophobic polyethylene film which was partly oxidized
in plasma. The water drops on the right side display a considerably lower contact
angle what is an expression of a higher surface energy and a higher hydrophilicity.