Haloform plasma modification of polyolefin surfaces

Polyolefin surfaces (polyethylene and polypropylene) were exposed to haloform (CHX(3)) plasmas for introduction of monosort halogen groups. Bromoform and chloroform plasmas produced selectively C-Br (100 Br/100 C) and C-Cl (200 Cl/100 C) groups in high yields. The bromoform plasma showed 1-3 and the chloroform plasma 2-7 post-plasma introduced O-functionalities per 100 C. The polyolefin C-Br groups were grafted wet-chemically or by exposure to the vapour of amines, diols and glycols. Thus, spacer molecules could be covalently bonded to maximal 15 spacer molecules per 100 C for the smallest grafted molecules and 1.2 molecules/100 C for larger molecules as octaaminophenylene-POSS. After metal evaporation the end groups of these polymer-bonded spacer molecules formed also covalent bonds to the metal. Thus, flexible, hydrophobic and barrier elements were introduced into the polymer-metal interfaces for high-impact, high-durable and water-resistant metal-polymer composites as measured by means of peel strengths. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.