What is plasma - Tantec

Plasma, the fourth state of matter, is similar to gas in that it lacks a definite shape or volume but is characterized by ionized particles—those which have lost or gained electrons, with some electrons being free. It includes ground and excited state atoms, free radicals like oxygen, and importantly, free radicals.

The need for plasma surface treatment arises from the role of surface energy in determining how well liquids wet a surface, which is crucial for the adhesion of inks, paints, and coatings. Wetting is assessed by the contact angle of a liquid on the surface, where a low angle indicates good wetting and a high angle suggests poor wetting. Materials like polyethylene have low surface energy due to their non-polar, electrically neutral particles, leading to poor attraction between the surface and liquid molecules.

Plasma treatment enhances surface energy by using radicals to break polymer chains and attach oxygen-containing molecules with polar functional groups to the material's surface, increasing its wettability. This process significantly improves the surface's ability to be printed, painted, coated, glued, or wetted, benefiting materials like plastics, metals, and glass.