%0 Journal Article
%T Viscoelastic properties of plasma-treated low-density polyethylene surfaces determined by nanoscale dynamic mechanical analysis
%A Ayyana M. Chakravartula
%A Kyriakos Komvopoulos
%A Lisa A. Pruitt
%J Materials Research Letters
%D 2019
%R https://doi.org/10.1080/21663831.2019.1606122
%X ABSTRACT Nanoscale dynamic mechanical analysis (nanoDMA) was used to determine changes in surface viscoelastic properties of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) due to Ar plasma treatment. The experimental results show that the exposure of LDPE to high-power plasma produces a more solid-like response compared to low-power plasma. In addition, high-power plasma treatment results in permanent modification of the near-surface microstructure of LDPE, while low-power plasma treatment yields a microstructure that exhibits time-dependent viscoelastic properties. The results of this study show that nanoDMA is an effective method for evaluating changes in surface viscoelastic properties of polymers due to modification of the near-surface microstructure by inert plasma treatment. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT IMPACT STATEMENT This investigation shows that inert plasma treatment can significantly modify the surface properties of polymers and that nanoDMA can differentiate between viscoelastic behaviors of untreated and plasma-treated polymer surfaces
%U https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21663831.2019.1606122