Effect of a cold helium plasma at -180 degrees C on polyolefin films - II.The chemiluminescence component

After treatment with cold He plasma at -180 degrees C LDPE and PP films emi t light. This Plasma Induced Luminescence (PIL) shows three components, one of which has been previously identified as chemiluminescence (PIL-CL). The chemiluminescence component in PIL of PP and LDPE is compared with isother mal chemiluminescence (CL) spectra obtained on heating PP in air at 165 deg rees C and strong similarities are found. Furthermore, increasing plasma tr eatment time or heating time brings a similar evolution in the PIL-CL and i sothermal CL spectra, rendering spectra broader and shifted to higher wavel ength. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.