Study on Plasma Treatment and Adhesion of Wood/Polyethylene Composites

The surface of wood/polyethylene (PE) composites was treated by low-pressure glow discharge of air plasma to improve its adhesion properties. And the changes on the surface properties of the treated composites under different discharge time were studied by contact angle, AFM and FTIR analysis. To determine the effect of plasma treatment on the adhesion of the composites, shear bond strength tests were conducted. The results showed that the contact angle decreased gradually with the increasing of discharge time. The roughness of plasma treated samples increased. The FTIR analysis results showed that the polar groups such as -OH, -C=O and -O-C=O were formed on the surface of the composites treated under plasma. The data of shear bond strength analysis also showed that the adhesion strength of composites increased remarkably after plasma treatment, and the durability of bonding joint under water and heat environments also be improved.