Surface Potential Decay Evolution of Polypropylene Films Treated by Dielectric Barrier Discharge in Atmospheric Air

Abstract

Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is a promising technique used to modify the surface properties of materials; it has been widely used in many domains such as ozone production, surface sterilization, and medical applications. In case of DBD surface functionalization, it requires a high AC voltage applied between two planar electrodes in addition to the presence of at least one dielectric barrier that separates the electrodes. The objective of this study is to assess how DBD treatment affects the evolution of surface potential decay following charging by negative corona discharge. The effects of treatment time and air length on the evolution of surface potential decay were the main purpose of this study. Water contact angle and surface potential decay measurements were used to evaluate surface characteristics of polypropylene (PP) before and after the DBD plasma modification. According to the experimental findings, plasma processing impacts surface wettability and surface potential decay. The decay rate values for short treatment duration are significantly different from those recorded for long treatment duration. The increase of surface potential decay rate demonstrates the introduction of polar groups by the plasma onto the PP surface, which causes a reduction in the water contact angle and speeds up the dissipation of surface charges.