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Response of linear, branched or crosslinked polyethylene structures on the attack of oxygen plasma
(2014)
Linear, branched and crosslinked polyethylenes (PE) were exposed to the low-pressure oxygen plasma for 2–120 s. In the following the samples were washed with solvents to remove low-molecular weight oxidized material and to excavate the subjacent polymer structure for microscopic characterization. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements provided information about changes in elemental composition and chemical structure of PE after plasma exposure and washing. The calculation of the concentration of tertiary C atoms using XPS data was a measure of branches and crosslinking in the polymer before and after exposure to oxygen plasma. Linear PE was most sensitive towards oxygen plasma and showed the highest concentration in tertiary C atoms after plasma exposure. On the other hand branched PE types, which possess originally more tertiary carbon atoms, have lost two-third of them after 2 s oxygen plasma exposure. Branched PE show also topological changes at their surface as detected by atomic force microscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements confirmed strong changes in crystallinity and molecular orientation of linear PE already after 120 s exposure to the oxygen plasma interpreted as amorphization. These effects should be interpreted as result of crosslinking caused by the recombination of dangling bond sites.
A convenient way to overcome the chemical inertness of polyolefin surfaces is to expose them to the atmospheric air plasma of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). To improve the efficiency in formation of polar groups at the polyolefin surface, different liquids such as water and ethanol were sprayed as aerosol into the plasma zone between the powered electrode and the polyolefin surface. Both sprayed liquids as well as the polyolefin surface were simultaneously activated; thus, the formation of different functional groups at the polyolefin surface was realized. The type of aerosol-sprayed additive, exposure time, power etc. have been found to determine the efficiency with respect to introduction of polar groups.
Different surface treatments of polypropylene (PP) were tested to improve the peel strength of aluminium-PP systems. Plasma exposure followed by chemical grafting of spacers with -SiOH endgroups and thin adhesion promoting layers deposited by aerosol-assisted DBD using aqu. solutions of classic polymers were compared. Both methods were effective, however, –SiOH terminated spacers effected no peeling also after ageing.
Copolymers of acrylic acid and styrene (AA/S) were prepared by pulsed plasma deposition technique. Their structure–property relationships were studied in dependence on the comonomer ratio. Both, the regularity of the structure and the composition of the thin copolymer films were investigated by bulk-sensitive (dielectric spectroscopy, FTIR, and differential scanning calorimetry) as well as surface-sensitive methods such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). For an unambiguous identification of the functionality of the deposited films the COOH groups were estimated by derivatization with trifluoroethanol and subsequent XPS measurement as well as by the quantitative analysis of the FTIR data. As a result, the concentration of COOH groups on the surface and in the bulk is increasing with the fraction of AA in precursor mixture in a non-monotonous way but similar to the dependence obtained by conventional free radical polymerization.
Aerosol-based DBD - A simple way to provide polymers with functional groups for adhesion promotion
(2013)
Polypropylene (PP) foils were exposed to the plasma of an atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in presence of different aerosols. Pure liquids such as water, ethanol, and 1/1 mixtures ethanol/water (v/v) or aqueous Solutions of acetic acid, poly(acrylic acid), poly(vinyl alcohol), and ethylene glycolpoly(vinyl alcohol) copolymer were introduced into the DBD. Surface composition, the number of functional groups per 100 C atoms, and water contact angles were correlated with the energy density of DBD plasma exposure.
The wettability of the treated surfaces was investigated for different storage times. Peel strength of the thermally deposited aluminum layer to modified polymer surfaces revealed that the aerosol introduction strongly improves the adhesion between aluminum and polypropylene.
For simulation and acceleration of artificial polymer ageing, polyolefin foils were exposed to low-pressure Ar plasma. Plasma particle bombardment and irradiation induce C–C and C–H bond scissions by σ→σ* excitations on the surface and in near-surface layers. Consequently, radicals are generated. They react by recombination, cross-linking, metastable trapping of the radical site or formation of olefinic double bonds. The long-living and metastable trapped C-radicals as well as double bonds in polyolefins were immediately exposed to bromine vapour without breaking the vacuum after switching-off the plasma. These reactive sites rapidly react with the molecular bromine under formation of C–Br bonds. For 5 min of argon plasma exposure, the elemental concentration of bromine was 13% for polyethylene and 22% Br/C for polypropylene as analysed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Nevertheless, not all C radical sites have reacted with bromine. Later on, when the polyolefins brought in contact with ambient air, an additional post-plasma reaction of the remaining trapped radicals with oxygen was observed. The oxygen concentrations were lower after bromine gassing, thus repressing partially the post-plasma oxidation in the analysed layer (ca. 6 nm) by radical quenching. Such bromination took place either at the surface or in near-surface layers because the Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR)-FTIR spectra (sampling depth ca. 2500 nm) did not show significant changes for argon plasma-treated PE foils with and without bromine vapour exposure. Further addition of bromine may also occur on C=C double bonds.
Copolymers of acrylic acid and styrene (AA/S) were prepared by pulsed plasma deposition and their structures were studied in dependence on the duty cycle (DC) for a fixed composition of 1:1. As a result, low values of DC doses preserve the structure of monomers in the plasma deposited polymers while high DC leads to a higher degree of fragmentation and a loss in regular structure. Regarding plasma copolymerisation as a feasible method to finish surfaces with a definite number of functional groups it is necessary to characterize both, the chemical nature and the physical properties of the deposited layer. Therefore, a combination of different methods was employed for the characterization of thin plasma copolymer films (FTIR, dielectric spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)). Special attention was paid on the unambiguous identification of COOH groups at the surface after derivatization with trifluoroethanol by XPS and in the volume by FTIR. The glass transition temperature of the copolymer system is lower than that for the both plasma deposited homopolymers and increases with the DC in difference to plasma deposited poly(acrylic acid). The dielectric measurements showed that the plasma deposited films were not thermally stable and underwent an undesired post-plasma chemical reaction. The results obtained by dielectric spectroscopy are discussed in detail in comparison with the data from FTIR and XPS measurements.
Three polyethylene (PE) types with different branching structures were subjected to air, water and ethanol aerosol-assisted dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) for surface modification. Using the air DBD the incorporated oxygen concentration was found to be independent on the branching of PE in contrast to the introduction of OH groups, which was PE-2 > PE-1 > PE-3. For water-aerosol DBD the succession of OH concentration was in the order of PE-1 > PE-2 > PE-3. Ethanol aerosol-assisted DBD produced the lowest concentration of OH groups also independent on the branching of PE. The chemical nature of introduced oxygen functional groups was inspected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and assigned as C–O, >C=O/CHO/O–C–O and O=C–O.
The applicability of polymer-metal composites is mainly determined by the durability of the adhesive strength between both components. Aluminium (Al) deposited on polypropylene (PP) exemplifies different options of interface design. By deposition of plasma polymers on PP the effect of the type of the functionality was investigated. Spacer insertion was accomplished to position the functional group away from the topmost surface. A further kind of interface design involved a partial condensation of functional groups. Hydroxyl and carboxyl groups were most effective to improve adhesion in Al-PP systems. Approximately 7-10 carboxyl or 25-27 hydroxyl groups per 100 C atoms were necessary to increase the peel strength up to ~700 N/m. In this range, the failure of the composite propagated along the interface Al-tape (no peeling of the metal). Spacer molecules between surface and functional groups provoked the effect that the number of needed functional groups for maximum adhesion was strongly reduced. Linking of the functional groups resulted in non-peelable Al-PP laminates. Two adhesion tests were applied - the peel test and the centrifuge technology. For PP foils modified with chemically bonded and additionally linked silanol groups (no peeling) an adhesive strength of (2.5 ± 0.2) N/mm² was determined by centrifuge technology. XPS inspection of both fracture surfaces indicated a sub-surface failure in the polymer.
Artificial weathering of LDPE under dry conditions (<10% of relative humidity) by UV radiation was monitored
by dielectric spectroscopy. For an apolar polymer like LDPE, dielectric study yields information
about the change in structure and dynamics of the system. The fluctuations of the polar groups which
are generated as a result of photooxidation such as carbonyl groups can be monitored as characteristic
relaxation processes like the αc or β mode. The dielectric loss characterized by typical dielectric parameters
like the activation energy and dielectric strength are strongly dependent upon changes induced
by photooxidation in the amorphous and crystalline domains. This paper discusses in detail how the foil
reached its mechanical disintegration. It was found that initial stages of weathering induce chain scission
and/or crosslinking in the amorphous domains of the polymer and the motional processes in the crystalline
regions are not affected. After this induction period, an increase in the degree of crystallization was
observed by employing differential calorimetry. The increasing crystallinity is considered as one of the
reasons for embrittlement which finally leads to the complete loss of the structural integrity.