OXIDATION OF POLYETHYLENE SURFACE BY GLOW-DISCHARGE AND SUBSEQUENT GRAFT-COPOLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLIC-ACID

Plasma-induced graft copolymerization of acrylic acid, which was incorporate into films, was investigated here. The influence of plasma conditions such as plasma treatment gases, power, pressure, time, monomer concentration, and graft copolymerization time on polymerization yield was determined. The samples were characterized by ESCA, IR, and water contact angle. A respective chemical shift of the Cls signal of Ar or O2 plasma-treated and untreated PE films was revealed by ESCA, in which the presence of the grafted PAAc was also verified. An increase in polymerization yield with plasma treatment duration and power was found. That the grafted copolymerization was limited to a very thin surface region was revealed by optical microscopy on the cross section of the grafted film.