Static properties and moisture content properties of polyester fabrics modified by plasma treatment and chemical finishing

Low temperature plasma treatment has been conducted in textile industry and has some success in the dyeing and finishing processes. In this paper, an attempt was made to apply low temperature plasma treatment to improve the anti-static property of polyester fabric. The polyester fabrics were treated under different conditions using low temperature plasma. An Orthogonal Array Testing Strategy was employed to determine the optimum treatment condition. After low temperature plasma treatment, the polyester fabrics were evaluated with different characterisation methods. Under the observation of scanning electron microscope, the surface structure of low temperature plasma-treated polyester fabric was seriously altered. This provided more capacity for polyester to capture moisture and hence increase the dissipation of static charges. The relationship between moisture content and half-life decay time for static charges was studied and the results showed that the increment of moisture content would result in shortening the time for the dissipation of static charges. Moreover, there was a great improvement in the anti-static property of the low temperature plasma-treated polyester fabric after comparing with that of the polyester fabric treated with commercial anti-static finishing agent.     

IPN’s of acrylic acid and N-isopropylacrylamide by gamma and electron beam irradiation

Interpenetrating networks (IPN) of temperature sensitive N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and pH sensitive acrylic acid (AAc) monomer were prepared in two consecutive steps. Hydrogels of AAc were synthesized by gamma radiation from a ⁶⁰Co gamma source and an electron beam from a Van de Graaff accelerator. A second hydrogel of NIPAAm was synthesized within the first AAc hydrogel by polymerization and cross-linking with a redox initiator and cross-linking agent. The thermal and pH sensitivity of the hydrogels were determined by measuring the swelling, and the morphology and composition by SEM.     

Properties of the acrylic acid polymers obtained by atmospheric pressure plasma polymerization

Plasma polymers of acrylic acid were obtained using an atmospheric pressure discharge system. The plasma polymerization reactor uses a dielectric barrier discharge, with the polyethylene terephthalate dielectric acting as substrate for deposition. The plasma was characterized by specific electrical measurements, monitoring the applied voltage and the discharge current. Based on the spatially resolved optical emission spectroscopy, we analyzed the distribution of the excited species in the discharge gap, specific plasma temperatures (vibrational and gas temperatures) being calculated with the Boltzmann plot method. The properties of the plasma polymer films were investigated by contact angle measurements, infrared and UV-Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy. The films produced by plasma polymerization at atmospheric pressure showed a hydrophilic character, in correlation with the strong absorbance of OH groups in the FTIR spectrum. Moreover, the surface of the plasma polymers at micrometric scale is smooth and free of defects without particular features.     

Radiation-induced grafting of N-isopropylacrylamide and acrylic acid onto polypropylene films by two step method

Binary graft copolymerization of pH sensitive acrylic acid (AAc) and thermosensitive N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) monomers onto pre-irradiated polypropylene films (PP) was carried out by two individual steps using a Co⁶⁰ gamma radiation source. The influence of preparation conditions, such as pre-irradiation dose and reaction time on grafting yield was studied. The swelling behavior and FTIR-ATR study for PP films grafted films were investigated.     

Comparative study of different initiation methods in the functionalization of low-density polyethylene with diethyl maleate: Gamma radiation and ultrasound

This work unfolds a comparative study of the grafting of a low-density polyethylene with diethyl maleate (DEM) using gamma irradiation and ultrasound as means of initiating the grafting reactions. The grafting degree was determined by FTIR using a reported calibration curve. The efficiency of both functionalization methodologies was calculated and the polymers were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The results showed that the grafting degree increases with the radiation dose when the monomer is inserted by gamma radiation. When the ultrasound methodology was used, an additional initiator such as dicumyl peroxide had to be used in order for the grafting to take place. In this last case, changing the time of exposure to the ultrasound source did not induce significant changes in the obtained grafted degree. The use of ultrasonic radiation plus dicumyl peroxide as grafting initiators promoted more insertion than that when gamma radiation was employed.     

Study of polypropylene/polybutene blends modified by gamma irradiation and (high melt strength polypropylene)/polybutene blends

It is well-known that polypropylene (PP) is difficult to process as a consequence of its linear structure. It is also known that grafting of long-chain branches on PP backbone using ionizing radiation is an effective approach to achieve high melt strength polypropylene (HMS PP). Chain-scission and, in minor extend, crosslinking and grafting are the predominant reaction in order to branch PP backbone. However, if multifunctional monomers are used to promote the grafting reaction, crosslinking can surpass chain scission and grafting, reducing drawability. Therefore, in an effort to enhance the processability and so the drawability, it has been found helpful to add a small amount of polybutene-1. Gamma irradiation technique was used to induce chemical changes in blends of PP and polybutene in acetylene atmosphere (crosslinker promoter) and in HMSPP/polybutene blends. The samples were irradiated with a ⁶⁰Co source with doses of 12.5 and 20 kGy in the presence of acetylene. In this work, two different methods of blends processing were compared regarding rheological and mechanical properties. Effects on the strength and elongation at the yield point and at rupture were observed by mechanical tests and showed decrease of tensile strength and increase of elongation at rupture for samples obtained by irradiation of blends. The results from rheology demonstrated an increase in melt strength and drawability of blends.     

Electron beam irradiation effects on the mechanical, thermal and surface properties of a fluoroelastomer

Fluoroelastomer can be used as a sealing material for different purposes. The aim of this work is the evaluation of the effects of the ionizing radiation of an electron beam (EB) on the mechanical, thermal and surface properties of a commercial fluoroelastomer containing carbon black and inorganic fillers. The material was irradiated with overall doses between 10 and 250 kGy. Tensile strength (stress and strain at break), hardness (Shore A) and compression set were evaluated. Thermal behavior was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Surface modifications were inspected using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy. The experiments have shown that EB irradiation promotes beneficial changes in the fluoroelastomer tensile strength behavior while compression set remain constant and the glass transition temperature increases. The SEM micrographs have shown compactness in the irradiated samples, although optical observations showed no surface morphology changes.     

Improving the surface flashover performance of epoxy resin by plasma treatment:a comparison of fluorination and silicon deposition under different modes

This work treats the Al2O3-ER sample surface using dielectric barrier discharge fluorination(DBD-F),DBD silicon deposition(DBD-Si),atmospheric-pressure plasma jet fluorination(APPJ-F)and APPJ silicon deposition(APPJ-Si).By comparing the surface morphology,chemical components and electrical parameters,the diverse mechanisms of different plasma modification methods used to improve flashover performance are revealed.The results show that the flashover voltage of the DBD-F samples is the largest(increased by 21.2％at most),while the APPJ-F method has the worst promotion effect.The flashover voltage of the APPJ-Si samples decreases sharply when treatment time exceeds 180 s,but the promotion effect outperforms the DBD-Si method during a short modified time.For the mechanism explanation,firstly,plasma fluorination improves the surface roughness and introduces shallow traps by etching the surface and grafting fluorine-containing groups,while plasma silicon deposition reduces the surface roughness and introduces a large number of shallow traps by coating SiOx film.Furthermore,the reaction of the DBD method is more violent,while the homogeneity of the APPJ modification is better.These characteristics influence the effects of fluorination and silicon deposition.Finally,increasing the surface roughness and introducing shallow traps accelerates surface charge dissipation and inhibits flashover,but too many shallow traps greatly increase the dissipated rate and facilitate surface flashover instead.     

Studies of effect of deposition parameters on the ZnO films prepared by PLD

Thin films of zinc oxide (ZnO), having different thicknesses were prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique onto silicon Si(1 1 1) and quartz (SiO₂) substrates at different partial pressures of oxygen. Rutherford back scattering (RBS) analysis was carried out in order to investigate effect of deposition parameters on thickness of films. Quality of the films was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses. The thickness of the film was found to increase with oxygen partial pressure for both Si and SiO₂ substrates.     

Hydrochlorination of acetylene over the Ru-based catalysts treated by plasma under different atmospheres

Ru-based catalysts modified in different atmospheres by plasma technology were prepared to catalyze the acetylene hydrochlorination reaction. The (Ru/AC)-N₂ (AC = activated carbon) catalyst yielded by the plasma modification of Ru/AC catalyst in N₂ atmosphere exhibits the best catalytic performance with a stable C₂H₂ conversion of 87.2%; a relative increase of 27.1% in C₂H₂ conversion was achieved compared with that of the untreated Ru/AC catalyst. The results of the analysis revealed that the modification produced a mutual effect between the generated function groups on carrier AC and the active components, which can disperse and yield more active species in the fresh catalysts. These are benefits of enhancing the activity of the catalysts. Moreover, the modification can restrain coke formation and inhibit the loss of active species in the reaction, as well as strengthen the adsorption ability of reactants on the catalysts. These are benefits of improving the catalysts’ performance.     

Study of surface activation of PET by low energy (keV) Ni and N ion implantation

Polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) has been modified by 100 keV Ni⁺ and N⁺ ions using metal ion from volatile compound (MIVOC) ion source to fluence ranging from 1 × 10¹⁴ to 1 × 10¹⁶ ions/cm². The increasing application of polymeric material in technological and scientific field has motivated the use of surface treatment to modify the physical and chemical properties of polymer surfaces. When a material is exposed to ionization radiation, it suffers damage leading to surface activation depending on the type. The surface morphology was observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). That show the roughness increases with fluence in both the cases. The Ni particles as precipitation in PET were observed by cross-section transmission electron microscopy (XTEM). The optical band gap (E_g) deduced from absorption spectra; was calculated by Tau’c relation. Raman spectroscopy shows quantitatively the chemical nature at the damage caused by the Ni⁺ and N⁺ bombardment. The ration of I_D/I_G shows graphite-like structure is formed on the surface. A layer of hydrogenated amorphous carbon is formed on the surface, which has confirmed by XPS results also.     

The effect of the inclination of magnetic field lines on surface sputtering by plasma ions

In this paper the following is presented:

• 1.(I) the mathematical model which describes the outflux of positive and negative ions from a sputtered surface;
• 2.(II) the calculated probability for sputtered positive and negative ions to flow along magnetic field lines;
• 3.(III) the numerical results indicative of anomalous deep penetration of light impurities into the confined plasma due to carbon-and/or oxygen containing negative ions.

     

The effect of nitrogen concentration on the properties of N-DLC prepared by helicon wave plasma chemical vapor deposition

Nitrogen-doped diamond-like carbon (N-DLC) films were synthesized by helicon wave plasma chemical vapor deposition (HWP-CVD). The mechanism of the plasma influence on the N-DLC structure and properties was revealed by the diagnosis of plasma. The effects of nitrogen doping on the mechanical and hydrophobicity properties of DLC films were studied. The change in the ratio of precursor gas flow reduces the concentration of film-forming groups, resulting in a decrease of growth rate with increasing nitrogen flow rate. The morphology and structure of N-DLC films were characterized by scanning probe microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. The mechanical properties and wettability of N-DLC were analyzed by an ultra-micro hardness tester and JC2000DM system. The results show that the content ratio of N+ and ${{\rm{N}}}_{2}^{+}$ is positively correlated with the mechanical properties and wettability of N-DLC films. The enhancement hardness and elastic modulus of N-DLC are attributed to the increase in sp3 carbon–nitrogen bond content in the film, reaching 26.5 GPa and 160 GPa respectively. Water contact measurement shows that the increase in the nitrogen-bond structure in N-DLC gives the film excellent hydrophobic properties, and the optimal water contact angle reaches 111.2°. It is shown that HWP technology has unique advantages in the modulation of functional nanomaterials.     

Effect of swift heavy ion irradiation on the surface morphology of highly c-axis oriented LSMO thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition

A detailed investigation of the surface morphology of the pristine and swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiated La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃ (LSMO) thin film using atomic force microscope (AFM) is presented. Highly c-axis oriented LSMO thin films were grown on LaAlO₃ (1 0 0) (LAO) substrates by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The films were annealed at 800 °C for 12 h in air (pristine films) and subsequently, irradiated with SHI of oxygen and silver. The incident fluence was varied from 1 × 10¹² to 1 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm² and 1 × 10¹¹ to 1 × 10¹² ions/cm² for oxygen and silver ions, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies reveal that the irradiated films are strained. From the AFM images, various details pertaining to the surface morphology such as rms roughness (σ), the surface rms roughness averaged over an infinite large image (σ_∞), fractal dimension (D_F) and the lateral coherence length (ξ) were estimated using the length dependent variance measurements. In case of irradiated films, the surface morphology shows drastic modifications, which is dependent on the nature of ions and the incident fluence. However, the surface is found to remain self-affine in each case. In case of oxygen ion irradiated films both, σ_∞ and D_F are observed to increase with fluence up to a dose value of 1 × 10¹³ ions/cm². With further increase in dose value both σ_∞ and D_F decreases. In case of silver ion irradiated films, σ_∞ and D_F decrease with increase in fluence value in the range studied.     

The research about the time-effect of the wettability on the wool surface treated by the Ar plasma jet in the atmospheric pressure

A facility which is called atmospheric pressure and normal temperature plasma jet was introduced in this paper. After the wool surface was treated by this kind of facility with Ar in different irradiating times, the time-effect of the fabric wettability has been weakened, and if the parameters of the irradiating time and the voltage of the facility are appropriate, the time-effect of wettability can be effectively inhibited. With the stable wettability, the fabric can be dressed without PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) which can cause lager pollution in the textile field, so the method without the time-effect of the textile wettability will be useful in the field of clean textile production. Undoubtedly, the stable wettability of textile surface was caused by the stable hydrophilic molecules on the textile surface. Thus, the reaction process and results on the textile surface treated by plasma needs to be studied to optimize the parameters of the irradiating time and the voltage of the plasma jet. So the initial experimental studies on the optimization of the parameters of the plasma jet were discussed in this paper, and the authors believe that the method without the time-effect also can be used in other fields of plasma application.     

Laser-induced plasma generated by a 532nm pulsed laser in bulk water:unexpected line-intensity variation with water temperature and the possible underlying physics

The effect of the matrix temperature on laser-induced plasma generated in bulk water by using a532 nm pulsed laser beam has been studied.Ca Ⅰ and Ⅱ emission line intensities were recorded for an aqueous solution of CaCl_2 in the temperature range of 7℃-70℃.The emission line intensities did not follow the matrix temperature in our experiments.Maximum intensities were observed at ～18℃ for both lines.Herein,a possible mechanism responsible for the observed variation in intensity is suggested,in which laser-produced bubbles play important roles.Bubble formation is essential to ignite plasma in the liquid and more feasible at the higher liquid temperature.However,the abundant bubbles at the higher temperature can scatter the incident laser beam more effectively to decrease the energy delivered for the laser-induced plasma.Thus,these two roles have effects on the optical emission intensities in opposite ways.The validity of the suggested mechanism is discussed based on the plasma temperature,temperature dependence of the refractive index of water,plasma electron density,scattered light intensity,and plasma ignition threshold energy.Our result indicates that the temperature of the liquid is also an important parameter to be considered in the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy analysis of bulk liquid samples and its application in deep-sea exploration.     

The effect of temperature on the structure of tantalum nitride (TaN) thin films deposited by DC plasma

In this work, we report the effect of growth temperature (room temperature, 150, 200 and 250°C) during the deposition of tantalum nitride thin films by a reactive planar DC magnetron sputtering system on the steel substrates, in a constant nitrogen partial pressure of 15% has been studied. The X-ray spectrum of deposited tantalum nitride films indicated an increasing in intensity of sharp peak of hexagonal TaN and was evidence of grain growth at higher temperatures. By increasing temperature the streaks’ directions, observed from AFM micrographs, were varied.     

Paramagnetic effect under the influence of high-frequency pressure and electron paramagnetic resonance in plasma

The interaction of uhf fields ( = 2· 10¹⁰ sec^–1) in a space resonator containing dense plasma (n 10¹³ – 10¹⁴ cm^–3) in a steady magnetic field was studied experimentally. Under the influence ofhf pressure a paramagnetic current arises in the plasma; the associated effect of an increase in the static magnetic field inside the plasma agrees closely with the calculated relation.For _H/ = 0.5 paramagnetic resonance of the electrons takes place; this leads to a sharp rise in plasma pressure p₀, up to =8p₀/H₀ ²0.2.Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 20, No. 5, pp. 401–407, May, 1966.     

Computer simulation of CAICISS spectra of clean Cu(1 0 0) surface and Cu(1 0 0) surface by Pt deposition

The clean Cu(1 0 0) surface and Pt/Cu(1 0 0) surface by Pt deposition at room temperature have been investigated using the computer simulation of coaxial impact-collision ion scattering spectroscopy (CAICISS). The computer simulations employing the ACOCT program code, which treats the atomic collisions three-dimensionally and is based on the binary collision approximation (BCA), were carried out for the case of 3 keV He⁺ ions incident along the 〈1 0 0〉 and 〈1 1 0〉 azimuths of the clean Cu(1 0 0) and Pt/Cu(1 0 0) surfaces. The comparisons between ACOCT results and experimental CAICISS data show that the experimental results on the clean Cu(1 0 0) surface are relatively well reproduced by the ACOCT simulations including the inward relaxation of 1.2% in the first interlayer spacing and the outward relaxation of 1.6% in the second interlayer spacing, and that the ACOCT simulations for the Pt deposition with coverages of 2.35 ML and 2.75 ML on the Cu(1 0 0) surface appear the concentrations of 0.24 ML of Pt sitting 2.3 Å and 0.25 ML of Pt sitting 2.5 Å above the outermost atomic layer, respectively.     

A separate effect test on the cooling behavior in a pressurized water reactor core under a low reflooding rate condition by using ATLAS and RELAP5/MOD3.3 code assessment

A separate effect test was performed on the cooling behavior in a PWR core under a low reflooding rate condition by using the ATLAS (Advanced Thermal–Hydraulic Test Loop for Accident Simulation) which is a thermal–hydraulic integral effect test facility for the pressurized water reactors APR1400 and OPR1000. Although several integral tests for the reflood phase of a large break loss of coolant accident (LBLOCA) of APR1400 have been performed with the ATLAS, the previous integral effect tests for the reflood phase of a LBLOCA are not easily simulated by existing codes, such as the RELAP5/MOD3, due to a unique phenomena in ATLAS, that resulted from an injection of large amount of subcooled water onto the heated wall of which temperature was higher than the target value.