XPS STUDIES OF THE MODIFICATION OF POLYSTYRENE AND POLYETHYLENETEREPHTHALATE SURFACES BY OXYGEN AND NITROGEN PLASMAS

Polystyrene and polyethyleneterephthalate surfaces were exposed to hel ium, oxygen/helium and nitrogen/hydrogen plasmas singly and in combina tion. The treated surfaces were evaluated by water contact-angle measu rements and by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that the oxygen and nitrogen tend to graft to common carbon atoms, to form ami de groups. The water wettability was found to correlate with the fract ion of electronegative atoms incorporated into the surface. (C) 1998 J ohn Whey & Sons, Ltd.