• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.308-318
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• 2022

The surface modification and treatment using thermal plasma were reviewed in academic fields. In general, thermal plasma is generated by direct current (DC) and radiofrequency (RF) power sources. Thermal spray coating, a typical commercial process using thermal plasma, is performed by DC thermal plasma, whereas other promising surface modifications have been reported and developed using RF thermal plasma. Beyond the thermal spray coating, physical and chemical surface modifications were attempted widely. Superhydrophobic surface treatment has a very high industrial demand particularly. Besides, RF thermal plasma system for large-area film surface treatment is being developed. Thermal plasma is especially suitable for the surface modification of low-dimensional nanomaterial (e.g., nanotubes) by utilizing high temperature and rapid quenching. It is able to synthesize and modify nanomaterials simultaneously in a one-pot process.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.109-126
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• 2013

Surface modification by low-pressure ammonia ($NH_3$) plasma on commercial thin-film composite (TFC) membranes was investigated in this study. Surface hydrophilicity, total surface free energy, ion exchange capacity (IEC) and zeta (${\zeta}$)-potentials were determined for the TFC membranes. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the membrane surface chemistry were conducted by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy. Results showed that the $NH_3$ plasma treatment increased the surface hydrophilicity, in particular at a plasma treatment time longer than 5 min at 50 W of plasma power. Total surface free energy was influenced by the basic polar components introduced by the $NH_3$ plasma, and isoelectric point (IEP) was shifted to higher pH region after the modification. A ten (10) min $NH_3$ plasma treatment at 90 W was found to be adequate for the TFC membrane modification, resulting in a membrane with better characteristics than the TFC membranes without the modification for water treatment. The thin-film chemistry (i.e., fully-aromatic and semi-aromatic nature in the interfacial polymerization) influenced the initial stage of plasma modification.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.113-118
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• 2010

For a present study, woven type carbon fibers were surface-modified by oxygen plasma to improve adhesive strength between carbon fibers and epoxy. The change of hydrophilic properties by the plasma modification was investigated through the contact angle measurement and the calculation of surface energy of carbon fiber due to the oxygen plasma modification. FESEM and XPS analyses were performed to study the chemical and physical changes on the surface of carbon fibers due to the oxygen plasma modification. Pin-on-disk wear tests were conducted under dry condition using unmodified and plasma-modified carbon/epoxy composites to investigate the effect of plasma modification on the wear behavior of woven type carbon/epoxy composites. The results showed that the friction coefficient and the wear rate of plasma-modified carbon/epoxy composites were lower than those of unmodified carbon/epoxy composites, respectively. XPS analysis showed that new functional group of a carbonyl type was created on the carbon fibers by the $O_2$ plasma treatment, which enhanced adhesive strength between carbon fibers and epoxy, leading to improve wear properties

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.103-108
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• 2008

In-plane shear tests were performed to investigate the shear property change of FRP by plasma modification. Graphite/epoxy prepreg was used as a test material and plasma source was a microwave (2.4GHz) type. Plasma was induced by oxygen gas and its flow rate was kept $4{\sim}5$sccm with low vacuum state of $10^{-3}$ Torr. Prepreg was stacked unidirectionally ($[0^0]_8$) after plasma modification. Wettability was determined by measuring a contact angle. The results showed that the contact angle was decreased from $86^0$ to $45^0$ after plasma modification. Shear strength was also improved by ${\sim}10%$. SEM examination was made on the fracture surface and functional group produced by the plasma modification was investigated by XPS.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.291-295
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• 2002

Atomic force microscopy(AFM) was used to study the polyethylene(PE) surfaces grafted and immobilized with acrylic acid by Ar plasma treatment. The topographical images and parameters including RMS roughness and Rp-v value provided an appropriate means to characterize the surfaces. The plasma grafting and immobilization method were a useful tool for the preparation of surfaces with carboxyl group. However, the plasma immobilization method turned out to have a limitation to use as a means of preparation of PE surface with specific functionalities, due to ablation effect during the Ar plasma treatment process.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.19 no.1 s.92
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• pp.45-52
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• 2007

Polyacrylonitrile(PAN) fiber was treated with low-temperature plasmas of argon and oxygen for surface modification, and its surface chemical structure and morphology were examined by a field emission scanning electron microscope(FESEM) and a Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy(IMS). The argon-plasma treatment caused the only mechanical effect by sputtering of ion bombardment, whereas the oxygen plasma brought about a chemical effect on the PAN fiber surface. The experimental evidences strongly suggested that cyclization of nitrile group and crosslinking were likely to occur in the oxygen-plasma treatment. On the other hand, with the argon-plasma treatment, numerous my pits resulted in ranging from several tens to hundreds nanometers in radius. The plasma sensitivity of functional groups such as C-H, $C{\equiv}N$, and O-C=O groups in the PAN fiber was dependent on their chemical nature of bonding in the oxygen-plasma, in which the ester group was the most sensitive to the plasma. Vacuum-ultraviolet(VUV) radiation emitted during plasma treatment played no substantial role to alter the surface morphology.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.836-840
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• 2013

In this study, the surface modification of copper foil using an inductively coupled $O_2$ / Ar plasma as $O_2$ gas fraction (0~100%) was investigated in order to improve the surface characteristics. After plasma treatment, the measurement of the surface roughness, surface contact angle and surface energy were performed for the surface analysis of copper foil. As a result, the surface roughness and the surface energy were increased. And plasma diagnostics was performed by a double Langmuir probe (DLP) and optical emission spectroscopy (OES). Using these results, the plasma surface modification mechanism was investigated.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.614-619
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• 2015

A plasma surface modification of powders has been carried out in a circulating fluidized bed reactor under reduced pressure. Polystyrene (PS) particles treated by plasma are grafted with polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the surface. The virgin, plasma-treated and grafted powders were characterized by DPPH method, FTIR, SEM and contact angle meter. The plasma-treated PS powders have well formed peroxide on the surface, By PEG grafting polymerization, PEG is well grafted and dispersed on the surface of the plasma-treated PS powders. The PEG-g-PS particle was successfully synthesized using the plasma circulating fluidized bed reactor under reduced pressure.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.32-43
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• 2008

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.103-120
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• 2010

Surface modification of microfiltration and ultrafiltration membranes has been widely used to improve the protein adsorption resistance and permeation properties of hydrophobic membranes. Several surface modification methods for converting conventional membranes into low-protein-binding membranes are reviewed. They are categorized as either physical modification or chemical modification of the membrane surface. Physical modification of the membrane surface can be achieved by coating it with hydrophilic polymers, hydrophilic-hydrophobic copolymers, surfactants or proteins. Another method of physical modification is plasma treatment with gases. A hydrophilic membrane surface can be also generated during phase-inverted micro-separation during membrane formation, by blending hydrophilic or hydrophilic-hydrophobic polymers with a hydrophobic base membrane polymer. The most widely used method of chemical modification is surface grafting of a hydrophilic polymer by UV polymerization because it is the easiest method; the membranes are dipped into monomers with and without photo-initiators, then irradiated with UV. Plasma-induced polymerization of hydrophilic monomers on the surface is another popular method, and surface chemical reactions have also been developed by several researchers. Several important examples of physical and chemical modifications of membrane surfaces for low-protein-binding are summarized in this article.