Surface modification of polypropylene sheets by UV‐radiation grafting polymerization

Abstract

Abstract1,6‐Hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA) was grafted onto polypropylene (PP) substrates in the presence of benzophenone (BP) and isopropylthioxanthone (ITX) photoinitiators, and then polyurethane acrylate formulations were coated onto the HDDA‐g‐PP substrates, using UV radiation. The amount grafted and the grafting efficiency of the polymerizations were determined gravimetrically. The effects of the photoinitiator concentration and the UV radiation intensity on the physicochemical surface properties and the grafting efficiency of the UV‐radiation grafting polymerizations were characterized in detail using contact‐angle measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total internal reflection, and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the amount grafted and the surface polarity of the HDDA‐g‐PP substrates both increased linearly with increasing BP photoinitiator concentration and UV radiation intensity, and that the addition of a small amount of ITX markedly enhanced both parameters, probably due to photosensitization. The adhesion of the UV‐cured coating onto the HDDA‐g‐PP substrates was evaluated using the crosshatch adhesion test. The results indicated that the amount of HDDA grafted onto the PP substrates should exceed about 1 mmol/cm2 for satisfactory adhesion with the UV‐cured coating. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 99: 1446–1461, 2006