The Effect of Nitrogen Plasma and Arf Excimer Laser on The Surface Properties of PMMA

In this study, the effect of ArF excimer laser and nitrogen plasma on the surface and physical properties of polymethylmethacrylate PMMA polymer was investigated. Different surface and physical parameters including contact angles, surface energy and roughness have been considered. The contact angle of the samples and their free energy were measured and the results were compared. Surface roughness of samples and surface morphology of them were investigated by atomic force microscopy. The crystalline structure of the samples was studied by X-ray diffraction analysis. Based on the results, laser irradiation and plasma treatment have different effects on PMMA. Results of surface treatment experiments by nitrogen plasma and ArF laser show that the contact angle of 50 W and 100 W plasma treated samples were decreased to 54o and 67o respectively and these results show that plasma treatment improves the hydrophilisity of the samples compared to the reference samples. The contact angles of laser treated samples were increased up to 69o and we deduced that ArF excimer laser decreases hydrophilisity of the treated samples and make them hydrophobic. The samples undergo superficial changes after treatment with plasma and the surface of the samples is smoothed by increasing treatment time. Vice versa in laser treated samples surface roughness were increased