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.
Optical Fibers
Optical fibers, ranging from silica glass to specialty polymer and PDMS-based waveguides, are integral to telecommunications, sensing, and biomedical applications. Achieving reliable performance from optical fibers hinges on precise surface...
Glass Slides
Glass slides and coverslips are essential substrates in microscopy. To ensure reliable and high-clarity imaging, it is critical that these surfaces are free of organic contamination. Plasma treatment offers an efficient, chemical-free solution for...
Military PPE
To provide adequate protection against biological and chemical warfare agents, military personal protective equipment ( Military PPE ) must filter and/or degrade the toxic agent to safe levels. These processes are achieved by surface engineering of...
Copper
Copper is widely used in engineering research due to its high conductivity and ductility. Plasma treatment enhances the performance of copper surfaces across a wide range of applications, from improving sample adhesion on electron microscopy (EM)...
Hydrogels
Hydrogels are hydrophilic, polymerized networks with high biocompatibility. Hydrogels trap water and other fluids, making them ideal for drug delivery, cell seeding, and tissue engineering applications. Hydrogel fabrication relies on plasma...