Plasma-Assisted Hydrophilicity Enhancement of Polymer Materials

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Hydrophobic polymer surfaces treated with plasma methods often lose their hydrophilic properties when exposed to water, leading to instability and reduced effectiveness in industrial applications.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a two-step atmospheric pressure plasma treatment process, where a hydrophobic polymer is pre-treated with carbon dioxide plasma to generate carboxyl groups, followed by a treatment with an amine-based plasma to create stable anchorage groups, enhancing the surface's hydrophilicity and stability in aqueous environments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If plasma treatment is applied to hydrophobic polymer surfaces to improve hydrophilicity, then surface wettability is enhanced, but the hydrophilic properties regress over time when contacted with water

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability of hydrophilic propertiesVSAvoidlong-term hydrophilic performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary plasma treatment to the hydrophobic polymer surface before water contact to generate stable hydrophilic functional groups. The plasma process pre-modifies the surface chemistry by introducing carboxyl, hydroxyl, and amine groups that resist regression upon water exposure, thereby establishing stable hydrophilic properties in advance before the material encounters aqueous environments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the polymer surface through plasma treatment, transforming the surface from hydrophobic to hydrophilic by introducing polar functional groups. This parameter change in surface chemistry (increasing oxygen-containing and nitrogen-containing groups) fundamentally alters the surface energy and wettability characteristics, making them stable against water contact

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If simple plasma treatment is used to modify polymer surfaces, then the process is easy to implement, but the hydrophilic properties are not stable after water contact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of plasma treatment implementationVSAvoidstability of surface properties

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The plasma treatment is applied as a preliminary step before water contact to establish stable hydrophilic functional groups on the polymer surface. This pre-modification ensures that when the material subsequently contacts water, the hydrophilic properties remain stable rather than regressing, combining process simplicity with long-term performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The plasma process induces parameter changes in the surface chemistry by introducing polar functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl, amine) that fundamentally alter the surface energy characteristics. These chemical parameter changes make the surface properties stable against water contact while keeping the manufacturing process simple and direct

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method significantly improves the stability of hydrophilic properties on hydrophobic polymer surfaces, maintaining surface energy and contact angle changes after immersion in water, with increased amine functional group density, ensuring long-term hydrophilic performance.

Implementation Method 1

The plasma treatment involves an atmospheric pressure plasma

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlasma: Plasma

Implementation Method 2

treating the polymer material with an atmospheric pressure plasma discharge

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface modification through plasma discharge: Deposition (physical)

Implementation Method 3

applying suction pressure through the porous support during the plasma treating

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSuction: Suction

Data Source

PatentUS9938388B2Plasma assisted hydrophilicity enhancement of polymer materials

Publication Date: 2018.04.10 VLAAMSE INSTELLING VOOR TECHNOLOGISCH ONDERZOEK NV (VITO)

AI summary

A method of enhancing hydrophilicity of a hydrophobic polymer material includes pre-treating the hydrophobic polymer material. The pre-treating includes treating the hydrophobic polymer material with a first atmospheric pressure plasma discharge in a first atmosphere including carbon dioxide to obtain a pre-treated polymer material. The method includes treating the pre-treated polymer material with a second atmospheric pressure plasma discharge in a second atmosphere in which an aerosol of an amine is introduced; the amine includes at least one hydrocarbon substituent. A substrate is provided that includes a hydrophobic polymer material having a modified interface. The modified interface includes amine functional groups grafted on the hydrophobic polymer material, the modified interface having a surface energy, which, measured after immersion in water at 20° C. for 3 days, differs from a surface energy of the hydrophobic polymer material by 20 mN/m or less.