Effect of bending and stretching of polyethylene strips on the adsorption of surface-active substances

The adsorption of tritium-labeled sodium stearate and ³⁵S-labeled sodium dodecylsulfate from aqueous solution on bent and on stretched polyethylene strips was directly measured. The amount of adsorption increased from 2.5 to 4.5 times on surfaces of various polyethylene samples stretched from 5.2 to 5.3 times the original length. For one sample, adsorption increased 8 and 2.5 times, respectively, on the convex and concave surfaces of a bent strip. Autoradiographs of the strips taken after adsorption revealed the appearance of both homogeneous and heterogeneous adsorption on the stretched surface of the polyethylene. The electron micrographs of the strips showed that many small fissures, about 1–5μ in length, formed on their surfaces after the strips were bent or stretched. Enhanced adsorption of the surface-active substance along these fissures was suggested. On the basis of these observations, it is proposed that in stretching or bending, fissures increase adsorption of the detergent, and the adsorption in turn promotes further development of fissures. Thus, bending and adsorption mutually promote the growth of fissures which finally result in failure of the polyethylene.