Plasma-Induced Graft Polymerization of Poly(ethylene glycol) on Poly(methyl methacrylate) Surfaces for Improving Antistatic Property

Ar plasma-induced graft polymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) on Ar plasma pretreated poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) surfaces was carried out to improve the antistatic properties. The surface composition and microstructure of the PEG-grafted PMMA surfaces from plasma induction were characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transfer infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, water contact angles (CA), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. The measurements revealed that the antistatic properties can be remarkably improved with the surface resistivity of PEG-grafted PMMA surface decreasing significantly by 3-6 orders of magnitude, with the optimum condition for polymerization grafted onto the Ar plasma pretreated PMMA surface being 40 W for RF power and 3 min for glow discharge time. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 118: 943-949, 2010