Hydrophilic polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) by nitrogen-argon plasma treatment

In this study, PMMA samples were exposed to different ration of nitrogen-argon atmospheric plasma. We observed that lowest contact angle was achieved at 30:10 scfh nitrogen-argon ratio. AFM image displayed that the surface topography and morphology of the samples changed as it was leveled and nanograins were formed due to the bombardment of argon ions. Nitrogen and oxygen ions were also present which may have altered the surface chemical structure of PMMA by creating polar bonds. Both chemical and physical changes contributed in turning a hydrophobic PMMA surfaces into hydrophilic surfaces.