SURFACE MODIFICATIONS OF POLYPROPYLENE AFTER IN-SITU AR AND N-2 PLASMA TREATMENTS - AN XPS STUDY

Argon and nitrogen plasma treatments of isotactic polypropylene were performed in an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma. The effect of treatment time, pressure and RF bias on the surface was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and a comparison is made with low-energy Ar-ion bombardment. The plasma treatment is found to produce similar but less pronounced effects than the ion bombardment. The effect consists of a change of the physical and morphological properties as detected by the variations in the valence band and the C 1s position, width and shape. The nitrogen incorporation shows significant differences depending on the three investigated parameters. The ion energy appears to be a determinant parameter.