Functionalization of polymers surfaces using microwave plasma chemical modification

Abstract

This paper reports the two topics of the low temperature chemical modification of polymer surfaces using microwave excited surface-wave plasma(SWP). First, for the improvement of hydrophilicity of polymer surfaces, we examined the surface treatment of polymethyl methacrylate(PMMA), polycarbonate(PC), and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene(ABS) resin surface using ion-assisted Ar plasma pretreatment followed by the SWP in Ar/CH3COOH gas mixture. Contact angle measurement and X-ray electron spectroscopy have been carried out to investigate the effect of the plasma treatment on the surface properties. Second, we have also studied the surface amination of polymers for medical use using SWP treatment with N2/H2 mixture gas or NH3 gas. We obtained about 100 % amino-group selectivity, denoted as NH2/N ratio, by using ammonia SWP. ©2008CPST.