Characterization of polypropylene surface treated in a CO2 plasma

The polypropylene modification in CO2 plasma mainly contributes to degradation, functionalization, and cross-linking. The degradation, whose rate is depending on CO2 dissociation and oxygen atom formation, is a quite slow reaction and it is associated with surface topography alteration, especially of the amorphous phase of the polypropylene. The surface roughness increases with the treatment duration and the amorphous phase is more degraded than the crystallized part. The functionalization, corresponding to an increase of the surface energy (57.3 mJ.m(-2) in 30 s), and to an oxidation (23 oxygen at.%) with the appearance of alcohol, ketone, and acid functions is a much faster phenomenon. Cross-linking takes also place during this type of treatment and will reinforce the stability of the modified surface.