| AVS 61st International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Applied Surface Science | Tuesday Sessions |
| Session AS+MC+SS-TuA |
| Session: | Analysis of Modified Surfaces |
| Presenter: | Mark Strobel, 3M Company |
| Authors: | M. Strobel, 3M Company S.J. Pachuta, 3M Company D. Poirier, 3M Company H. Lechuga, 3M Company |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
The most widely used industrial processes for modifying the surfaces of polymer films are flame and corona (dielectric barrier discharge) treatments. While both of these processes oxidize a thin surface region of the treated films, there are significant differences between the surfaces generated by the two surface-oxidation processes. A principal difference between corona and flame treatments is the likelihood to form water-soluble low-molecular-weight oxidized material (LMWOM). LMWOM is formed by the simultaneous oxidation and chain scission of a polymer material. LMWOM is an important surface characteristic that has a large effect on the wetting and adhesion properties of polymer surfaces.
LMWOM can be investigated by a number of surface analytical techniques, including x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS or ESCA), static secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and contact angle measurements. This presentation will demonstrate how surface analysis enables the detection and detailed characterization of the LMWOM formed by the flame and corona treatment of polypropylene (PP) film surfaces. The mechanism of LMWOM formation can be then determined from these analytical results when coupled with an understanding of the bulk photo-and-thermal degradation of PP materials.