IMMOBILIZATION OF POLY(ETHYLENE OXIDE) ON POLYETHYLENE USING A PLASMA-INDUCED GRAFT-COPOLYMERIZATION PROCESS

A radio-frequency glow discharge induced graft copolymerization proces s has prepared a PAAc-grafted PE film in this present study. Poly (eth ylene oxide) (PEO) was then covalently immobilized onto PAAc-grafted P E film by a chemical coupling reaction. Carboxylic groups were introdu ced onto the surface of PE film by exposing the film to an Ar plasma, and the plasma-treated film was then next reacted with a 50% acrylic a cid aqueous solution. These functional groups were reacted with bisami no PEO by a coupling agent CMC. ESCA, IR, and water contact angle stud ies were conducted for characterizing the surfaces of these films duri ng the varied stages of the reaction. Increasing the molecular weight of the PEO attached to the PAAc-grafted PE resulted in an increased we ttability of the films. (C) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.