Plasma modiication of polymers
Efect of the treatment in a non-equilibrium low-temperature plasma on the structure of acrylic and polyurethane polymers used as a coating of natural leather was studied by IR spectroscopy, X-ray difraction and thermal analysis methods. Liquid polymers in the form of aqueous dispersed solutions were dried to obtain the solid ilms. Liquid suspensions prior to drying and solidiication, or already solidiied solid ilms were undergone by plasma modiication. It is established that a short-term (3 min) treatment of solid polymers in a HF plasma leads to an improvement in the mechanical properties of the ilms. Optimum regimes of plasma treatment are determined. It is shown that the maximum treatment efect for the acrylic polymer RodaKrulK 577 is achieved at a capacitive discharge of 0.7 kW (65% increase in strength and 35% in elongation), and for polyurethane RodaPurK 8727 - at a discharge power of 0.1 kW (increase in strength by 170% and in relative elongation by 72%). The improvement of mechanical characteristics is associated with conformational changes in the structure of solid polymers resulting in additional polymerization of it. Changes in the chemical composition of polymers after plasma treatment have not been detected.