P. Gatenholm et al., HYBRID BIOMATERIALS PREPARED BY OZONE-INDUCED POLYMERIZATION .1. OZONATION OF MICROPOROUS POLYPROPYLENE, Journal of polymer science. Part A, Polymer chemistry, 35(8), 1997, pp. 1461-1467
We employed an ozone-induced grafting process to prepare membrane-hydr
ogel hybrid biomaterials. Exposure of isotactic polypropylene to ozone
resulted in surface oxidation, as detected by ESCA, and the formation
of peroxides and hydroperoxides. The amount of oxygen-bearing moietie
s, as detected by FT-IR, was increased when a microporous membrane wit
h a large surface area was used. Ozonation for an extended period of t
ime, 1-2 h, resulted in a degradation of microporous PP, observed with
SEM as an enlargement of pores and brittle characteristics of the mat
erial. The molecular weight of PP was dramatically reduced after as li
ttle as 5 min of ozonation. Exposure to ozone for longer periods of ti
me contributed to further reductions of the molecular weight and gradu
al modification of chemical composition of polypropylene, restricted,
however, to the surface or intercrystalline amorphous regions. It was
possible to graft 2-hydroxyethylemthacrylate (HEMA) to the ozonated sa
mples, such that the graft copolymer acted as continiuous matrix conse
quently linked to and reinforced by the PP crystals. (C) 1997 John Wil
ey & Sons, Inc.