Durable, hydrophilic surface modification of polypropylene films by plasma graft polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate

Abstract

The plasma graft polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was investigated to obtain hydrophilic surface. The combination of the argon plasma and GMA vapor exposures leaded to graft polymerization of GMA at the surface of polypropylene films. This graft polymerization was initiated by the argon plasma exposure for 2 min, and was accomplished with the GMA vapor exposure for 2 min. The GMA graft polymerization made polypropyrene surface hydrophilic. The surface energy was 55.8 mJ/m2. The hydrophilicity introduced by the GMA graft polymerization remained for at least 3 weeks. The graft polymerization of hydrophilic monomers was a good means of hydrophilic surface modification.