Modification of metal surfaces by microwave plasma at atmospheric pressure

Continuous wave (CW) microwave discharges operated at atmospheric pressure in argon gas were applied to surface modification of metal surfaces for improvement of adhesion with paint coating. The surface treatment was carried out by making use of the microwave discharges excited in a rectangular waveguide. The charged particles in the discharge plasma with high kinetic energy bombard the substrate, cleaning and etching its surface in rough morphology and polluted with organic compounds. The samples before and after plasma treatment were characterized by a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a contact angle analyzer.