FUNCTIONALIZATION OF POLYETHYLENE SURFACE USING PLASMA-INDUCED GRAFT-COPOLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLIC-ACID

Plasma-induced graft copolymerization of acrylic acid onto PE films wa s investigated. The influence of plasma treatment power, pressure, tim e, graft copolymerization time, and monomer concentration on polymeriz ation yield was determined. A chemical shift of the Cls signal of Ar p lasma treated and untreated PE films was revealed by ESCA, which also verified the presence of grafted PAAc. An increase in graft polymeriza tion yield with plasma treatment time and power was found. Both the pl asma treated film and the subsequently grafted film were shown to be h ydrophilic. Only the grafted film, however, shows an invariably low co ntact angle. The decomposition of peroxides upon heating was followed by a simple first-order reaction. (C) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.