CHEMICAL SURFACE MODIFICATION ON POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE FILMS BY VACUUM-ULTRAVIOLET EXCIMER LAMP IRRADIATION IN AMMONIA GAS ATMOSPHERE

Irradiation of polytetrafluoroethylene films with vacuum UV light in a n ammonia gas atmosphere resulted in a hydrophilic surface, where abst raction of fluorine atoms, and introduction of nitrogen, oxygen, and h ydrogen atoms occurred. We used Kr-2 and Xe-2* excimer lamps at wavel ength of 146 and 172 nm, respectively. The reaction mechanism for chem ical surface modification is discussed on the basis of x-ray photoelec tron spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and attenuated tot al reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. (C) 19 96 American Institute of Physics.