The effect of plasma treatment on structure and properties of poly(1-butene) surface

This paper is focused on the chemical and morphology changes in the surface of poly(1-butene) (PB-1) generated by plasma treatment. The radio frequency capacitively coupled plasma (air, argon, argon then allylamine, argon containing ammonia and argon with octafluorocyclobutane) was used. Modified surface of PB-1 was characterized by contact angle measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The surface hydrophilization by air and argon with ammonia plasmas was evaluated as most sufficient. Oppositely, a high level of hydrophobicity of PB-1 surface was reached by combination of argon with octafluorocyclobutane plasma. Upon plasma modification, hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of treated surfaces remained stable within three days under air atmosphere and then values of contact angle slowly recovered to those of unmodified PB-1. However, morphology and surface chemical composition of plasma-modified samples remained generally unchanged during observed time. Changes in surface hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of plasma-treated PB-1 were attributed to variance of conformation of the surface molecules.

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► Polybutene surface modification by plasma treatment.
► The surface changes were analyzed by XPS, contact angle measurement and AFM.
► The surface wettability was mainly changed due to chemical modification on the polymer surface.
► The surface morphology was not changed.