Sanding vs. plasma treatment of aged wood: A comparison with respect to surface energy

To compare sanding and plasma treatment by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) with respect to their effects on wood surface characteristics, beech, oak, spruce, and Oregon pine were investigated. For this purpose, the surface energy of aged, freshly sanded or plasma-treated surfaces was examined by contact angle measurement and calculation of work of adhesion. For both methods, sanding and plasma treatment, an increase in surface energy caused by a heavily increased polar part was found. Plasma treatment turned out to be superior to sanding. To see whether a combined treatment amplified this effect, a combination of sanding and plasma treatment was also investigated.