Surface modification of polymers. I. Vapour phase photografting with acrylic acid

Surfaces of low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, and polystyrene have been modified by grafting with acrylic acid. Benzophenone and acrylic acid in the vapor phase were UV-irradiated in the presence of a polymer substrate. Grafting with acrylic acid took place in a thin layer on the surface, thus increasing the wettability of the polymer. After 5 min of irradiation, the contact angle against water had decreased to 20° for polystyrene and 50° for the polyethylene samples. ESCA measurements on samples irradiated for 5 min showed a 90% poly(acrylic acid) coverage of the surface for polystyrene, 63% for low density polyethylene, and 56% for high density polyethylene. Acetone or ethanol were used as carriers of monomer and initiator. Acetone was able to initiate grafting and was found to promote and direct grafting to the surface. The stability of the acrylic acid grafted surfaces was studied by contact angle measurements and ESCA. At room temperature, the grafted layer is confined to the surface, but when the material was heated in air the surface was reshaped into a hydrophobic one. The process was reversible. In aqueous surroundings at elevated temperatures the hydrophilic character of the surface was restored.