Surface modification of bisphenol A polycarbonate material by ultraviolet Nd:YVO4 laser high-speed microprocessing technology

In this paper, a low-cost and high-efficiency microprocessing modification technology for the surface of bisphenol A polycarbonate (BAPC) material was achieved (in particular, from hydrophilicity to hydrophobicity) at high laser scanning speeds (600-1000 mm s(-1)) and using an all-solid state, Q-switched, high-average power and nanosecond pulse Nd:YVO4 laser (355 nm wavelength). During the modification, it was found that the laser fluence and pulse width were the two main parameters affecting the modification effect. Moreover, the modification had a significant effect on the water contact angle, wetting behavior, microstructure, average roughness and chemical composition of the surface. When the laser fluences applied were low (i.e., less than the so-called critical fluence of the UV laser modification of the BAPC material), the water contact angle was found to be a little less than the original, the hydrophilicity was slightly improved, the relative content of the oxygen-containing groups (e.g. O-C and COO-) increased, the microstructure and average roughness only had a very slight change, and the wetting behavior complied with the Wenzel regime. On the other hand, when the laser fluences applied were high, the water contact angle significantly increased, the hydrophilicity markedly decreased and the relative content of the oxygen-containing groups also increased. Here, a porous microstructure with periodical v-type grooves was generated and the average roughness had an obvious increase. In this case, the wetting behavior could be explained by the Cassie-Baxter regime, i.e., the microstructure and average roughness change played a deciding role. The reason for this might be that different laser parameters result in different material deformation and removal processes, thereby resulting in different surface chemical compositions, microstructures, roughnesses and wetting properties.