Argon plasma etching

Aramid tire cords have been treated by argon plasma etching and plasma polymerization of acetylene. The combination of argon plasma etching and acetylene plasma polymerization results in a greatly improved pull-out force of 91 N in comparison to 34 N with the untreated aramid tire cord. Thus, the plasma treatment improves the adhesion to rubber compounds. " ... 

H. M. Kang, T. H. Yoon, and W. J. Van Ooij. Enhanced adhesion of aramid tire cords via argon plasma etching and acetylene plasma polymerization. J. 

Etching has been used to reveal structures in polymer fibers [179,180], polymer blends [181,182] and in bulk polymers, such as PET [183] and PE [184]. Periodic structures were seen to develop on argon plasma etched, oriented materials, such as nylon and PET, thought to be characteristic of the fold period [185]. Such structures were also shown for ion etched (argon) fibers [186]. Fine scale structures were observed for etched polyamide [187], PET [19,188] and aramid fibers [187] which showed ripple structures transverse to the fiber axis. 

Figure 2.17. Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis ESCA) spectra of organometallic polymer films before and after exposure to oxygen plasma. The silicon 2p transition page 99) is shifted from 99.7 to 102.4 eV. The magnitude of the shift is consistent uMh conversion to SiO, where x is between 1.5 and 2. The Sn 3d transitions of the organotin compound above) undergo a similar shift 1.7 eV), consistent with generation of a SnOx surface, where x is again between 1.5 and 2. Argon sputter etching followed by ESCA analysis indicates that these oxide films are less than 100 A thick.

In one embodiment patented by Makrides et al., tantalum foils were electrolyti-cally etched in hydrofluoric acid, washed with acetone and, while still wet with acetone, placed in vacuum and dried by evacuation. Using an argon plasma at a pressure of about 1 mm Hg (133.3 Pa), palladium was deposited onto both sides of the membranes to recommended thicknesses between 10 and 100 nm. Membranes of niobium and vanadium were prepared in the same manner, except that, in addition, vanadium was degassed in vacuum at 1273 K (1000 °C) to remove oxygen. Unalloyed palladium as well as Pd-Ag, Pd-Au and Pd-B, were also patented as hydrogen dissociation catalysts and as protective layers for the highly reactive niobium, tantalum and vanadium. 

Distribution of some substituents in chemically modified cottons can be obtained through depth profiles. For example, conventionally applied fluorochemical finishes are concentrated on the surfaces. As a result, the intensity of the Fi electron peak decreases as the fabric is etched with an argon cotS plasma within the spectrometer cavity. In our analyses of anion exchange celluloses, we were not able to use the rf cold plasma etching method because nitrogen, that we wanted to measure, is chemically bound to cotton as it is subjected to cold plasmas of argon as... 

Plasma etching (e.g., nitrogen, argon, oxygen, water vapor) Plasma (gas discharge) (RF, microwave, acoustic) Radiation grafting (electron beam and y-irradiation) Silanization... 

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