Surface Modification of Polymers

Abstract

AbstractMany applications require polymeric materials to be in contact with other materials or with specific environments. In this respect, the surface and interface properties of polymers cannot be overemphasized. This article describes, reviews, and updates the three most common surface modification techniques for synthetic polymers, viz, (i) plasma modification, (ii) surface grafting and graft polymerization, and (iii) chemical modification and reaction. Plasma modification involves surface energetic interactions, as well as plasma polymerization and deposition. Surface modification via grafting and graft polymerization generally involves the “grafting to” and “grafting from” approaches. The latter approach has been made even more versatile by the development of surface‐initiated controlled radical polymerizations in the late 1990s. Chemical modification of polymer surfaces includes ozone treatment, chemical and electrochemical redox reactions, sulfonation and halogenation, photochemical reactions, biologically influenced modification, and layer‐by‐layer coating. Finally, the effects of physical structures of modified surfaces are briefly discussed.