Alter Surface Chemistry
The ability to control and tailor surfaces with specific chemical functionalities is oftentimes critical for studying surface interactions of materials or improving interfacial, biological, and electronic properties for optimal material performance. Depending on the process gas and processing conditions used, plasma can alter the surface to be more hydrophilic or hydrophobic, or to introduce specific chemical functionalities to the surface without affecting the bulk material. This page provides brief summaries on the application of plasma treatment to alter surface chemistry.
Superhydrophobic Surfaces
Plasma treatment can be a beneficial step for creating superhydrophobic surfaces through promoting strong adhesion of a hydrophobic coating, surface roughening, and plasma polymerization.Applications of Superhydrophobicity Hydrophobic surfaces have...
Research Spotlight: Ice Crystallization
Ice crystallization on electrical lines or airplane wings can disrupt operations and even endanger lives. A proposed technique to reduce ice crystallization involves slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS). These ice-repellent surfaces...
Research Spotlight: Blood Plasma Separation
Blood plasma separation is a vital process for the detection of biomarkers which can indicate diseases such as cancer and diabetes. Centrifuges, the most commonly used method of separation, requires large amounts of time and blood. Additionally,...
Research Spotlight: Membrane Distillation
Many desalination plants around the world rely on membrane distillation to extract drinkable water from seawater. However, membrane distillation is also used to treat industrial wastewater prior to discharging it into the environment. Industrial...
Research Spotlight: Rewritable Graphene Oxide Holograms
Security holograms are a vital anti-counterfeiting measure on banknotes, ID cards, and passports. A recent hologram fabrication method involving graphene oxide reduction explores new materials which can be used as holographic substrates. In this...