Rapid Transformation in Wetting Properties of PTFE Membrane Using Plasma Treatment

In this paper, we describe the surface modification of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) through the plasma treatment process. Several parameters including different active gases, RF power, distance between the plasma source and sample, and plasma duration were optimized to reduce the hydrophobic nature of PTFE. Three different active gases were used (i.e., N₂, O₂, and (Ar+H₂)); N₂ was effective to reduce the hydrophobicity of PTFE within a shorter plasma duration of 2 min. Several surface characterizations including ATR-FTIR, water contact angle, FE-SEM, and XPS were utilized to verify the neat and modified PTFE surface after plasma treatment. The plasma treatment using N₂ as an active gas improved the wettability of the PTFE membrane, showing a water contact angle of 109.5° when compared with the neat PTFE (141.9°). The SEM images of plasma-treated PTFE showed greater modifications on the surface indicating non-uniform fiber alignment and torn fibers at several places. The obtained results confirm the fact that plasma treatment is an effective way to modify the PTFE surface without altering its bulk property.