Selective surface functionalization of polyolefins by plasma treatment followed by chemical reduction

Polymer surfaces can be finished with functional groups upon exposure to a plasma. Species of the plasma gas are attached at surface carbon atoms. for ming functional groups of different composition. To produce a modified poly mer surface with a high density and homogeneity of hydroxyl groups only, th e oxygen-plasma-formed oxygen functional groups were chemically reduced by diborane and LiAlH4 with yields of 10 to 11 OH groups per 100 carbon atoms in the 3 to 5 nm near-surface layer as detected by X-ray photoelectron spec troscopy (XPS). The identification of hydroxyl groups was performed by mean s of attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy a nd XPS. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.