THE EFFECT OF PLASMA-DEPOSITED SILOXANE COATINGS ON THE BARRIER PROPERTIES OF HDPE

Thin polymeric films were deposited from siloxane plasma on the surfac e of polyethylene. The surface composition of the films was measured b y X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the permeability to O2 by an analytic gas permeability fractometer. No significant improvement of barrier to O2 was observed with 200 nm-thick coatings. When the sil oxane layer was subjected to a further O2 plasma treatment, a threefol d decrease of permeability to oxygen was recorded. Results are discuss ed on the light of the effect of the O2 plasma on the siloxane backbon e.