Simple Atmospheric-Pressure Nonthermal Plasma-Jet System for Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Bonding Process

In this paper, we propose a simple nonthermal plasma-jet system operated at atmospheric pressure. To evaluate the capability of surface modification, we performed an experimental study on the surface modification of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) using Ar, He, and N-2 plasma jets. The contact angles of a water droplet were measured after the surface modification by the proposed system. Among the three types of plasma used, the nitrogen plasma is the most efficient for surface modification. The N2 plasma-jet treatment for 60 s decreased the contact angle of PDMS to about 30 degrees. The hydrophilic property of the modified surface lasted for at least 3 days. The PDMS modified with the nitrogen plasma is bonded well with glass. The bonding strength is equivalent to the yield strength of PDMS. (C) 2012 The Japan Society of Applied Physics