XPS INVESTIGATIONS OF ACID-BASE INTERACTIONS IN ADHESION .5. THE DETERMINATION OF ACID-BASE PROPERTIES OF POLYMER SURFACES - PRESENT STATUSAND FUTURE-PROSPECTS

The use of a polymer swelling method, in conjunction with X-ray photoe lectron spectroscopy, is shown to provide an attractive method for the determination of the acid-base properties of polymers in the solid st ate. This method is reviewed and examples of the use of trichlorometha ne as a molecular probe are given. It is shown how, by the study of po lymer swelling by two solvents of known acid-base properties, Drago's E and C parameters for the candidate polymer can be determined. Exampl es are provided of the use of this method on a homopolymer and the sur face treatment of polypropylene.