Changes of wettability of medium density fiberboard (MDF) treated with He-DBD plasma

The effects of two power levels (50 and 150 W) and five time levels (10, 20, 40, 60 and 120 s) of glow discharge in helium dielectric barrier discharge (He-DBD) has been investigated in the context of surface modification of medium density fiberboard (MDF) panels. He-DBD elevated the surface wettability of MDF panels as assessed by dynamic contact angle (CA) measurements including the determination of surface free energy, droplet volume and spreading contact area of droplets. The chemical changes of the MDF surfaces were also characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Expectedly, the apparent CA and droplet volume decreased with increasing power and time of glow discharge, mainly at the 150 W power level. The oxygen content of the surfaces, the surface free energy and the spreading contact area increased upon treatment. At higher energy levels the treatment time could be reduced, which is essential for future applications in industrial processes.