ETCHING OF A LOW-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE FILM BY FUMING NITRIC-ACID

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films were treated with fuming nitric acid (FNA). The surface characteristics and also the insertion of pola r groups like -COOH, drop C-O, -NO2, and -NO on the etched LDPE film s urface were measured by SEM, IR and XPS analyses, respectively. The me chanical performance of a laminate of the etched film with epoxy resin and also the printability of the etched film surface were tested and compared with the unetched sample. The surface roughening and the pres ence of polar groups enhance the mechanical strength of the laminate o f FNA-treated film due to mechanical interlocking and chemical interac tion. The printability of the treated film surface is also superior to that of the untreated LDPE film surface.