ABSTRACT
The modification of the chemical structure, reactivity, and bonding character istics of polymer surfaces has considerable technological importance in the areas of metallization, composite fabrication, and biomedical compatibility. Plasma (glow discharge) treatment is one type of surface modification that is commonly used. Plasma treatment can be used to modify the surface of a polymer to improve adhesion or wettability, to provide a diffusion barrier layer, or to minimize degradation of a polymer surface during metallization. A unique feature of plasma modification is that the surface structure of the polymer can be selectively modified for a specific application while the bulk properties of the polymer are unaffected. However, it must be noted that the complexity of the plasma itself makes it difficult to unravel the mechanisms responsible for the surface modifica tion. For example, the roles of direct and radiative energy transfer in plasmainduced surface modification are still unresolved. The general consensus is that reactions at the immediate surface are due to a combination of both direct and radiative energy transfer while the subsurface reactions are dominated by radiative energy transfer through the UV component of the electromagnetic spectrum.
