Study on the application possibilities of an atmospheric pressure glow discharge with liquid electrolyte cathode for the modification of polymer materials

We investigated the action of an atmospheric pressure air glow discharge (APGD) with aqueous electrolyte cathode onto the surface of polypropylene films and grey cotton fabric. Aqueous solutions of KCl, KBr and KI were utilized as a cathode. The surface properties of PP were characterized by contact angle measurement followed by surface free energy calculation, Fourier Transform Infrared by Attenuated Total Reflectance (FT-IR/ATR) analysis and height of water capillary rise for fabric. After treating PP surface, we observed OH-groups, C=O groups in ester, ketone and carboxyl groups, C=O groups in unsaturated ketones and aldehydes. Modification processes were able to improve the wettability of fabric as well as to accomplish the immobilization of some porphyrins onto PP surface.