POST-FRACTURE ANALYSES OF POLYETHYLENE-METAL INTERFACES

We have analyzed the surfaces created by peeling deuterated polyethylene films from copper, aluminum, and brass substrates. The polymer was analyzed for metal residues by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), while secondary-ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) was used to detect deuterium on the metal. Optical microscopy always indicated apparent adhesive (i.e. interfacial) failure for all polymer-metal samples, but SIMS consistently showed extensive coverage by polymer at all exposed metal surfaces. XPS of the polymer revealed traces of metal on samples peeled from copper and brass, but not from aluminum. Ellipsometry and electron microscopy confirmed the presence of a 60 +/- 20 Angstrom polymer layer on the metal surface.