A plasma device for increasing the hydrophilicity of paper products

Abstract

The treatment of various materials using low-temperature gas–discharge plasma to clean their surface or change their structure is rather promising because of the generation of particles that react with molecules of impurities or base material. In addition, the molecules of the surface layer of material are exposed to the influence of ultraviolet and soft X-ray radiation generated in the cathode layer of the discharge. Only the volumetric gas–discharge can guarantee a high degree of uniformity of the material surface treatment. To increase the intensity of the plasma-chemical reactions, it is effective to increase the frequency of the supplied voltage of a discharge reactor or to use the pulse–periodic power-supply mode. The pulse frequency should be coordinated with the typical frequency of the plasma chemical reactions. Experimental installations that have a discharge reactor as their main element showed successful performance for the modification of the volumetric structure of a thin paper tape to increase its hydrophilicity.