MICROWAVE PLASMA-INITIATED GRAFTING OF ME THYL-METHACRYLATE ONTO POLYETHYLENE SURFACE

The He cold plasma excited by microwave was used to activate the surfa ce of polyethylene(PE). It resulted in forming of active sites on the surface and was followed by graft reaction with methyl methacrylate(MM A). The MMA-grafted samples were shown to be more hydrophilic than of untreated one. The influence of MMA concentration, microwave power and plasma treatment time on the graft degree and wettability for MMA-gra fted PE were also studied. A coincidence of graft degree with wettabil ity of PE films was found. The optimal operation condition was also ad vice, that is, MMA concentration, microwave power, and plasma treatmen t time were 0.1 mol/L, 200 W and 2.5 min, respectively.