Stability and ageing of plasma treated Wood/Polyethylene composites surfaces

Wood/Polyethylene (PE) composites were modified by air glow discharge plasma. The modified composites surface were characterized by contact angle measurements, attenuated total reflection-fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that the surface wettability was improved, -OH, C-O and C=O bond were introduced on the surface, the oxygen element content increased and the shear bonding strength increased after plasma treatment. However, in the period of aging, the modified surface was unstable and exhibited a hydrophobic recovery, meanwhile the oxygen-containing functional groups reduced, O/C ratio increased and the shear bonding strength decreased gradually.