Improved Oxygen Barrier Research Articles

Poly (lactic acid)/Poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) Films with Simultaneous High Oxygen Barrier and Fast Degradation Properties

Although poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is a good environmentally-friendly bio-degradable polymer which is used to substitute traditional petrochemical-based polymer packaging films, the barrier properties of PLA films are still insufficient for high-barrier packaging applications. In this study, oxygen scavenger hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and cobalt salt catalyst were incorporated into the PLA/poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PLA/PBAT), followed by melting extrusion and three-layer co-extrusion blown film process to prepare the composite films. The oxygen permeability coefficient of the composite film combined with 6 wt% oxygen scavenger and 0.4 wt% catalyst was decreased significantly from 377.00 cc∙mil∙m-2∙day-1∙0.1MPa-1 to 0.98 cc∙mil∙m-2∙day-1∙0.1MPa-1, showing a remarkable enhancement of 384.69 times compared with the PLA/PBAT composite film. Meanwhile, the degradation behavior of the composite film was also accelerated, exhibiting a mass loss of nearly 60% of the original mass after seven days of degradation in an alkaline environment, whereas PLA/PBAT composite film only showed a mass loss of 32%. This work has successfully prepared PLA/PBAT composite films with simultaneously improved oxygen barrier property and degradation behavior, which has great potential for high-demanding green chemistry packaging industries, including food, agricultural, and military packaging.

Investigation of novel organic-based anti-microbial agents with polyolefins

This study investigated the anti-microbial efficacy of Nouvex N950-9010 MB, an organic-based master batch, when integrated into polypropylene (PP) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The focus centers on its effectiveness against two common bacterial strains: E. coli K-12 MG1655 and S. aureus ATCC 6538P. The master batch was compounded at a 5 wt.% loading concentration with PP and HDPE, and was utilized to create monolayer and multilayer films. The findings reveal significant anti-microbial activity at both 4-hour and 24-hour intervals. SEM analysis confirmed homogeneous mixing and optimal adhesion within the films. Thermal stability, assessed via DSC and TGA, remained consistent, with variations within experimental error margins. Surprisingly, FTIR results indicated no substantial differences between modified and unmodified materials, suggesting that Nouvex N950-9010 MB. preserves material integrity. Mechanical properties, including Izod impact and tensile strengths, remained stable in the modified materials. Moreover, the modified PP and HDPE exhibited improved oxygen and water vapor barrier properties (OTR and WVTR) compared with their neat counterparts. UV spectra validated the non-leachability of Nouvex N950-9010 MB, aligning with the manufacturer’s claims. A groundbreaking revelation from the study is that this master batch functions via reactive oxygen species (ROS), marking a pioneering discovery in the field of novel anti-microbial agents. The research demonstrates Nouvex N950-9010 MB’s potential as a powerful and safe solution for antimicrobial applications, opening new avenues for further exploration and practical implementation.

Fabrication of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate)/ZnO Nanocomposite Films for Active Packaging Applications: Impact of ZnO Type on Structure-Property Dynamics.

Bio-based and biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) have great potential as sustainable packaging materials. The incorporation of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) could further improve their functional properties by providing enhanced barrier and antimicrobial properties, although current literature lacks details on how the characteristics of ZnO influence the structure-property relationships in PHA/ZnO nanocomposites. Therefore, commercial ZnO NPs with different morphologies (rod-like, spherical) and silane surface modification are incorporated into poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) via extrusion and compression molding. All ZnO NPs are homogeneously distributed in the PHBHHx matrix at 1, 3 and 5 wt.%, but finer dispersion is achieved with modified ZnO. No chemical interactions between ZnO and PHBHHx are observed due to a lack of hydroxyl groups on ZnO. The fabricated nanocomposite films retain the flexible properties of PHBHHx with minimal impact of ZnO NPs on crystallization kinetics and the degree of crystallinity (53 to 56%). The opacity gradually increases with ZnO loading, while remaining translucent up to 5 wt.% ZnO and providing an effective UV barrier. Improved oxygen barrier and antibacterial effects against S. aureus are dependent on the intrinsic characteristics of ZnO rather than its morphology. We conclude that PHBHHx retains its favorable processing properties while producing nanocomposite films that are suitable as flexible active packaging materials.

Improving the Barrier and Mechanical Properties of Paper Used for Packing Applications with Renewable Hydrophobic Coatings Derived from Camelina Oil.

This study looked at using modified camelina oil to develop sustainable coatings that could replace those derived from petroleum-based materials for use in packaging and other industrial sectors. Solvent-free synthesis of maleic anhydride grafted camelina oil (MCO) was carried out at two different temperatures (200 and 230 °C) to obtain sustainable hydrophobic coating materials for paper substrates. Maleic anhydride grafting of camelina oil was confirmed with attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared and NMR spectroscopic techniques, and up to 16% grafting of maleic anhydride was achieved, as determined by the titration method. MCO, obtained at different reaction temperatures, was coated onto cellulosic paper and evaluated for its hydrophobicity, mechanical, oxygen, and water vapor barrier properties. Scanning electron microscopy indicated the homogeneous dispersion of coating material onto the paper substrate. MCO-coated papers (MCO-200C paper and MCO-230C paper) provided a water contact angle of above 90° which indicates that the modified oil was working as a hydrophobic coating. Water vapor permeability (WVP) testing of coated papers revealed a reduction in WVP of up to 94% in comparison to the uncoated paper. Moreover, an improved oxygen barrier property was also observed for paper coated with both types of MCO. Analysis of the mechanical properties showed a greater than 70% retention of tensile strength and up to a five-fold increase in elongation at break of coated versus uncoated papers. Overall, the results show that camelina oil, a renewable resource, can be modified to produce environmentally friendly hydrophobic coating materials with improved mechanical and water vapor barrier properties that can serve as a potential coating material in the packaging industry. The results of this research could find applications in the huge paper packaging industries, specially in food packaging.

Preparation of strong, UV-blocking and sustainable glucose-cross-linked cellulose plastics via hydroxyl-yne click reaction

The construction of functional cellulose plastics possessing strong UV-blocking, hydrophilicity, and biodegradability is challenging. Therefore, we provide a novel strategy to successfully prepare sustainable and hydrophilic glucose-cross-linked cellulose (GC) plastics showing effective UV-blocking and excellent mechanical properties via hydroxyl-yne click reaction at room temperature. The results demonstrated that hydroxyl-yne click chemistry enabled efficient crosslinking of cellulose with glucose using 4-dimethylamino pyridine (DMAP) as a catalyst. Moreover, the DMAP residue imparted good UV-shielding properties to GC films exhibiting nearly 100 % UVC (200–275 nm) and 100 % UVB (320–275 nm) shielding ratios. The introduction of glucose imparted superior hydrophilicity (water contact angle of 40.3–43.2°) and improved water adsorption. Additionally, the mechanical properties of the GC films increased with the increasing crosslinking density, and the highest tensile stress was 94 MPa. The water-induced breaking and hydrogen bond reforming strategy led to a stress of 127 MPa and a strain of 25.6 % for the final GC2 film, which were excellent compared to those of the most reported cellulose films. Additionally, GC films were biosafe, exhibited improved oxygen barrier, and good biodegradability. Hence, this study provides a promising and efficient approach for preparing high-performance cellulose plastics.

Characterization of biodegradable bi‐layer films from thermoplastic starch and poly‐l‐lactic acid

AbstractThis study aimed to enhance the oxygen barrier properties of polylactic acid (PLA) film, a biodegradable packaging material with high oxygen permeability (OP). Bi‐layer films were produced by coating thermoplastic starch (TPS) onto PLA films in various ratios while maintaining constant film thickness. The mechanical, optical, barrier, thermal, hydrophobicity, moisture sorption, and microstructural properties of the films were analyzed. Increasing the TPS ratio elevated moisture content (MC), water uptake, solubility, and opacity while enhancing UV barrier properties. TPS coating reduced tensile and burst strength but increased the burst deformation of the bi‐layer films. Bi‐layer film production resulted in a water vapor permeability increase of 59.26%–94.44% compared with neat PLA while decreasing OP by 2.52%–29.66%. The equilibrium moisture content (EMC) rose with higher TPS ratios, displaying type II isotherms. FTIR analysis indicated no chemical interactions between PLA and TPS. Increasing the TPS ratio decreased PLA crystallinity, supporting the mechanical and barrier properties of the bi‐layer films. Neat and bi‐layer films exhibited smooth, homogeneous surfaces, with a visible interface in the cross‐section of the bi‐layer films. In conclusion, TPS shows promise as an alternative to improve oxygen barrier properties in PLA films without adversely affecting other properties.

Bio-coated filter paper: Enhanced antimicrobial & barrier with nanochitin/nanocellulose

Pickering emulsions consisting of nanochitin/nanocellulose and cinnamon essential oil were synthesized and utilized as a water-based coating for filter paper, resulting in improved oxygen barrier and vapor barrier characteristics. The incorporation of cinnamon essential oil within Pickering emulsion facilitated a delayed release of the oil, thereby imparting antibacterial properties against E. coli on the coated filter paper. Moreover, the Pickering emulsion coating technique not only formed a uniform film that covered the fibers and pores of the filter paper, which enhanced the oxygen barrier properties (oxygen permeability reached 0.00285 ± 1.69967E-5 cm3/m2·d·Pa, 0.02937 ± 1.71335E-14 cm3/m2·d·Pa and 0.2283 ± 4.18994E-14 cm3/m2·d·Pa for DEChN, ChNC and CNC treated sample, respectively), but also reduced filter hydrophilicity performance (contact angles of DEChN, ChNC and CNC coated samples increased from 10.93 ± 0.89° to 81.10 ± 0.89°, 65.57 ± 1.09° and 58.93 ± 0.95°, respectively) and water vapor barrier performance (moisture permeability of DEChN, ChNC and CNC coated samples increased from 2530.9346 ± 20.3587 g/m2·day to 90.2211 ± 11.3913 g/m2·day, 153.547 ± 3.9448 g/m2·day and 350.5407 ± 0.24364 g/m2·day, respectively) of the filter paper. This work investigated the coating performance of nanochitin/nanocellulose based Pickering emulsion, and would provide a green route for preparing all biomass-base packing materials.

Effect of blending sequence and epoxy functionalized compatibilizer on barrier and mechanical properties of PBS and PBS/PLA nanocomposite blown films

AbstractThis study focuses on developing compostable nanocomposite blown films, aiming to enhance oxygen barrier properties while maintaining good mechanical performance. Polybutylene succinate (PBS) and its blend with polylactic acid (PLA) were selected as matrices for the films. Organo‐montmorillonite Delite®43B (D43B) clay was incorporated to improve oxygen barrier, and random ethylene‐methyl acrylate‐glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer served as a plasticizer and reactive compatibilizer. Different blending sequences were examined to determine the optimal one that led to significant enhancements in both the barrier and mechanical properties of the final nanocomposite blown film. Various techniques, including SEM, TEM, XRD, DSC, oxygen permeability, and tensile testing were employed to characterize the morphology of the compounds and blown films. The results reveal greater oxygen barrier properties depending on the blending sequence. Indeed, a reduction in oxygen permeability exceeding 50% was observed following the addition of 3 wt% of D43B to the PBS/PLA film, selectively localized in the PLA phase. This enhancement further intensified after the addition of 5 wt% of the epoxy functionalized compatibilizer.Highlights Enhancing PLA‐PBS compatibility with the epoxy functionalized compatibilizer led to a reduction in the final film's oxygen permeability. Achieving ideal ductility and barrier balance in films requires a synergistic blend of components: D43B, PLA, PBS, and compatibilizer. Optimizing balanced synergistic effects among compounds depends on the blending sequence method.

Development of multilayer PVA-MMT and PVA-CS film structures by spin coating-assisted layer-by-layer technique: Effect of PVA, CS and MMT nanoclay orientation on oxygen barrier properties

The orientation of biopolymer macromolecules and nanoclay, specifically Montmorillonite (MMT) nanoplatelets, plays a crucial role in controlling the properties of multi-layer film structures. Understanding the impact of macromolecule and nanoclay platelets’ orientation on barrier properties of packaging films is essential. To investigate the influence of hydrogen bonding in multilayer films structures, two polymers, namely polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan (CS), were selected and laminated nanocomposite films were fabricated using the spin coating-assisted layer-by-layer (Spin-LbL) assembly technique. This technique facilitates the production of highly oriented nanocomposite films, where polymer chains and nanoclay particles align parallel to the film surface. Multi-directional 2-D wide-angle X-ray diffraction (2D-WADX) was successfully used to accurately assess the orientation and distribution of MMT nanoplatelets. Additionally, the films underwent characterization using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The 2D-WADX analysis revealed a parallel alignment of both the PVA chains and MMT clay nanoplatelets parallel to film surface. The XRD results confirmed the formation of intercalated nanolaminate structures, hydrogen-bonding interactions, and adjustments in the crystalline structure of PVA matrix. Through contact angle and oxygen permeability measurements, we observed that all quadri-layer film structures exhibited hydrophobic properties and reduced oxygen permeability compared to neat PVA films. Furthermore, the integration of MMT nanoclay, even at low concentrations, contributed to the development of nanocomposite films with improved oxygen barrier properties. Consequently, the quadri-layer films demonstrate great potential for food packaging applications.

Development of PLA/Lignin Bio-Composites Compatibilized by Ethylene Glycol Diglycidyl Ether and Poly (ethylene glycol) Diglycidyl Ether.

Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is a promising green substitute for conventional petroleum-based plastics in a variety of applications. However, the wide application of PLA is still limited by its disadvantages, such as slow crystallization rate, inadequate gas barrier, thermal degradation, etc. In this study, lignin (1, 3, 5 PHR) was incorporated into PLA to improve the thermal, mechanical, and barrier properties of PLA. Two low-viscosity epoxy resins, ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE) and poly (ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PEGDE), were used as compatibilizers to enhance the performance of the composites. The addition of lignin improved the onset degradation temperature of PLA by up to 15 °C, increased PLA crystallinity, improved PLA tensile strength by approximately 15%, and improved PLA oxygen barrier by up to 58.3%. The addition of EGDE and PEGDE both decreased the glass transition, crystallization, and melting temperatures of the PLA/lignin composites, suggesting their compatabilizing and plasticizing effects, which contributed to improved oxygen barrier properties of the PLA/lignin composites. The developed PLA/lignin composites with improved thermal, mechanical, and gas barrier properties can potentially be used for green packaging applications.

Different aspects of polymer films based on low‐density polyethylene using graphene as filler

AbstractThe focus of the present work is to prepare low‐density polyethylene (LDPE)‐graphene (G) nanocomposite films with improved gas barrier properties by melt extrusion. A narrow range of the graphene (0.05–0.3 wt.%) as filler was used in the LDPE matrix. The rheological analysis indicating that there is no significant influence on the LDPE chains mobility with the addition of filler. The nanocomposites percent crystallinity (Xc%) increase from 25.0% to 31.6% compared to neat LDPE. The X‐ray diffractogram shows a change in width half height of the peak positioned at 26° ((002) plane) from 0.69 (graphite) to 1.24 (graphene), revealing the asymmetry of this plane. The optical microscopy images show a good dispersion of the nanoparticles in the polymer matrix. The mechanical properties of the nanocomposites in longitudinal direction demonstrate better improvement with addition of the filler as compared to the transverse direction. The contact angle measurements of nanocomposites for water and ethylene glycol do not shows a significant variation in comparison to neat LDPE. The nanocomposites show 26% enhancement in the oxygen barrier property. Thus, here we present the cost‐effective LDPE‐graphene nanocomposites with improve oxygen barrier property, which can be used in different industrial application especially in food packaging.

Effects of types and concentrations of modified Cloisite Clays on properties of chitosan nanocomposites for food packaging

AbstractBiodegradable chitosan has excellent film‐forming properties compared to other biodegradables but also some limitations, such as poor water barrier and low mechanical strength. Thus, in this research, the effects of various types (Cloisite Ca, 15A, 20A, and 30B) and concentrations (0.5, 1, 2.5, and 5 wt%) of Cloisite on barrier, mechanical, structural and thermal properties on chitosan films were investigated. Cloisite was revealed to significantly lower the lightness (L*) depending on the type and concentration of Cloisite. The films containing Cloisite significantly improved oxygen barrier properties by 34.5%–73.6% compared to control, particularly Cloisite 30B. Cloisite 20A and Ca were found to significantly improve the water barrier by up to 84.61%, and Cloisite 20A and 30 B the tensile properties by up to 30%. The chitosan with less Cloisite content exhibited better smoothness and elongation. The dispersed Cloisite clays improved the thermal stability and enhanced the barrier and tensile properties of the chitosan with the increased Cloisite loading.

Toward Sustaining Bioplastics: Add a Pinch of Seasoning

Modern society can no longer sustain accumulating plastic pollution without intervention; plastic waste has even found its way into the food that we consume. Unfortunately, biodegradable alternatives lack sound commercial and economic distinctiveness because mechanical strength and biodegradability are typically mutually exclusive. Inspired by fine cuisine, we introduce a novel synthetic method, referred to as “seasoning”, which consists of adding a minimal amount of a biobased multifunctional monomer to pinch the amorphous domains of poly(butylene succinate). Seasoning with only 0.03 mol % of a biobased monomer led to a significantly improved oxygen barrier, high strength (86 MPa), and excellent elongation at break (654%). To the best of our knowledge, this “seasoning” approach with the significant property improvement provided is unique in the bioplastics research field. The proposed approach is highly scalable, relies on existing industrial production, and has the potential to expand current biodegradable plastic applications through its simplicity.

Polyelectrolyte Coacervate Coatings That Dramatically Improve Oxygen Barrier of Paper

Paper-based food packaging is lightweight, low cost, and highly flexible, but it suffers from a very high oxygen transmission rate (OTR ∼ 11,100,000 cc/(m2·day·atm)). Herein, two polyelectrolyte-based coacervate coatings were studied as oxygen gas barriers on kraft builder’s paper. A single coating deposition of a polyethylenimine-poly(acrylic acid) coacervate, adding less than 20% to the paper’s weight, reduced the OTR to 164,000 cc/(m2·day·atm). This work not only demonstrates a significant OTR improvement of a poor oxygen barrier material, but also provides the foundation for polyelectrolyte-based layers to be deposited on cellulosic materials at an industrial scale.

Improvement of Poly(lactic acid)-Poly(hydroxy butyrate) Blend Properties for Use in Food Packaging: Processing, Structure Relationships.

Poly(lactic acid)-poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PLA-PHB)-based nanocomposite films were prepared with bio-based additives (CNCs and ChNCs) and oligomer lactic acid (OLA) compatibilizer using extrusion and then blown to films at pilot scale. The aim was to identify suitable material formulations and nanocomposite production processes for film production at a larger scale targeting food packaging applications. The film-blowing process for both the PLA-PHB blend and CNC-nanocomposite was unstable and led to non-homogeneous films with wrinkles and creases, while the blowing of the ChNC-nanocomposite was stable and resulted in a smooth and homogeneous film. The optical microscopy of the blown nanocomposite films indicated well-dispersed chitin nanocrystals while the cellulose crystals were agglomerated to micrometer-size particles. The addition of the ChNCs also resulted in the improved mechanical performance of the PLA-PHB blend due to well-dispersed crystals in the nanoscale as well as the interaction between biopolymers and the chitin nanocrystals. The strength increased from 27 MPa to 37 MPa compared to the PLA-PHB blend and showed almost 36 times higher elongation at break resulting in 10 times tougher material. Finally, the nanocomposite film with ChNCs showed improved oxygen barrier performance as well as faster degradation, indicating its potential exploitation for packaging applications.

Enhanced Barrier Property for Polyethylene Terephthalate–Polyethylene Naphthalate Copolymer by In Situ Polymerization with Graphene Oxide Nanosheets

AbstractIn this paper, a series of polyethylene terephthalate‐polyethylene naphthalate copolymer (PETN) composites with high oxygen barrier properties are prepared by introducing trace of graphene oxide (GO) during the in situ polymerization. The single‐layer GO nanosheets with large lateral size (≈1.8 µm) and abundant functional groups are prepared by a combination of chemical exfoliation and solvent exchange. During the in situ polymerization process, some surface region of GO is grafted by PETN molecular chains with the grafting rate being 80%, which enhanced the interfacial interaction between GO and PETN matrix. Furthermore, the ungrafting surface region of GO is thermally reduced to the complete graphene. Due to the in‐plane stacking of grafted GO and reduced GO, and the increased crystallinity of PETN matrix, the oxygen transport path of the PETN film is greatly prolonged, which endowed the PETN nanocomposite films with highly improved oxygen barrier performance. When the GO content is only 0.1 wt%, the oxygen permeability coefficient of the nanocomposite films is as low as 38.9 cc mil m−2 d−1 0.1 MPa−1, which is ≈4.5 times lower than that of the pure PETN film. This work provides a new idea for the preparation of polyester materials with high oxygen barrier performance.

Synergistic effect of e-beam irradiation and graphene oxide incorporation on thermal, mechanical, and barrier properties of poly (ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) film

Graphene and its derivatives, such as graphene oxide (GO), have attracted enormous interest from academia and industry because of its unique electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties, which can lead to enhanced material performance. In the present study, low contents of GO were incorporated into the poly (vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene) (EVOH). First, the GO was prepared by chemical oxidation of graphite employing a modified Hummer's method. The GO content of 0.1–0.3 wt % was incorporated in the EVOH matrix using a twin-screw extruder and extrusion blown film process to prepare flexible films. EVOH/GO film samples were irradiated at 100 kGy, using a 1.5 MeV electron-beam accelerator, at room temperature, in the presence of air. GO was characterized by XRD, ATR-FTIR, FE-SEM, and TEM analysis. XRD patterns of GO show a sharp reflection peak at 2θ = 10° (d001) corresponding to a d-spacing at 8.84 Å, characteristic of GO. The non-irradiated and irradiated samples were characterized by XRD, FEG-SEM, TG, DSC, oxygen transmission rate (OTR), UV/VIS analysis, and tensile tests. EVOH/GO nanocomposite films had an improved oxygen barrier, while also retaining fairly good transparency. As an effect of e-beam irradiation, the thermal, mechanical, and barrier behaviors of the nanocomposite films were even better than non-irradiated film samples, and obviously better than neat EVOH. Thus, the incorporation of low contents of GO followed by e-beam radiation treatment might be an interesting alternative to produce packaging materials based on EVOH with outstanding performance even under very humid conditions.

Biaxially stretched polyamide 6/ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer films with improved oxygen barrier and mechanical properties

Biaxially stretched polyamide 6/ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer films with improved oxygen barrier and mechanical properties

Synergistically Improved Oxygen Barrier Properties of Polyethylene Terephthalate by Combining “Active” and “Passive” Barrier Techniques

AbstractThe relatively poor oxygen barrier properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) limit its high‐end use in flexible electronic substrates. In this work, the oxygen barrier properties of PET films are highly improved by biaxially stretching PET films containing oxygen scavengers. The “active” oxygen scavengers result in a higher crystallinity of biaxially stretched PET films, improving the “passive” barrier properties. Biaxial stretching processing increases the surface area of oxygen scavengers’ domain, which consumes the oxygen molecules more effectively, thus improving the “active” barrier properties. More importantly, the enhanced “passive” barrier path prolongs the residence time of oxygen molecules in the films, allowing the oxygen scavenges to have enough time to sufficiently react with oxygen molecules. As a result, the oxygen permeability coefficient of biaxially stretching PET films containing oxygen scavengers is as low as 14.5792 cc mil m−2 day−1 0.1 MPa−1, synergistically improved by a factor of 11.99 compared to pristine PET films.

Effect of Low-Pressure Plasma Treatment on the Surface Wettability of Poly(butylene succinate) Films

Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) films were processed by a radio frequency (RF; 13.56 MHz) low-pressure plasma of oxygen and argon/oxygen, and an oxygen plasma with an argon post-crosslinking plasma to improve their wettability property. Specimens were treated at different times with fixed power processing of 100 W (0.3 W/cm2) and a fixed pressure of 10 Pa. A significant change in hydrophilicity evaluated by the water contact angle was observed. The contact angle of a water drop decreased from 80° for the untreated sample to values lower than 5° for plasma-treated samples. The effect of ageing on the wettability of PBS substrates was also examined, showing a more pronounced trend in the first 4 h and reaching a plateau in the following days. However, partial surface hydrophilicity was maintained for up to 15 days. A practical application of the surface functionalization produced by plasma was obtained via the deposition of SiOx onto PBS surfaces; the study of films’ oxygen permeability demonstrated that the plasma pre-treatment increased the adhesion between PBS and SiOx, resulting in significantly improved oxygen barrier properties. In order to evaluate the morphology and roughness modification caused by plasma exposure, atomic force microscopy characterization was carried out. Chemical information about treated surfaces, such as an increase in oxygen functional groups during plasma exposure, was measured by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Finally, the effects of plasma on crystallinity were investigated by X-ray diffraction.