Surface Of Polypropylene Film Research Articles

Water as a medium for microwave-assisted grafting of maleic anhydride onto a polypropylene film to improve its adhesion with a polyamide 6 film

Maleic anhydride (MAH)-modified polypropylene (PP), denoted as PP-g-MAH, is often prepared by melt grafting of MAH onto PP through reactive extrusion. A major problem of this process is the presence of a large amount of residual (unreacted) MAH in the polymer, which is harmful for applications like food packaging. This work aims to study microwave-assisted grafting of MAH onto PP film surfaces using water instead of organic solvents as a medium to reduce MAH residues in PP. Microwave irradiation shortens the grafting time by accelerating the decomposition of initiator. Addition of a very small amount (2%) of xylene to water swells the PP film surfaces of about 12 μm thick to which the MAH grafting is confined. The adhesive strength of a double layer film based on PP-g-MAH (moisture barrier layer) and polyamide 6 (PA6, oxygen barrier layer) reaches 13.3 N/15 mm instead of 2.4 N/15 mm for that based on PP and PA6. A much less amount of the oil-soluble benzoyl peroxide is more efficient as an initiator for MAH grafting than water-soluble ammonium persulfate.

Polypropylene film surface modification for improving its hydrophilicity for innovative applications

Organic polymeric materials, especially polyolefins, contain mainly C and H atoms and thus present serious surface problems due to low surface energy and reactive inertness. Using method developed in this work it is possible to convert the H atoms of the polypropylene (PP) film surface into polar groups by treatment with a mixture of chromic, sulphuric, and phosphoric acids in a short time at elevated temperature. Hydroxyl and carboxyl groups on the surface of materials not only determine their chemical and physical properties, but also provide reactive centers for various applications. Optical microscopy (OM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses have shown that induced surface modification of the PP film causes mainly physical changes, creating microcraters and surface roughness and hence increasing surface tension, while X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis has confirmed the absence of phase changes. The attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy analysis has confirmed the grafting of polar groups, such as hydroxyl, carboxyl, and carbonyl onto the surface of the PP. This indicates that used mixture destroyed or at least broke down to some extent the covalent bonds of the main carbon skeletons, which were present on PP substrate surfaces and improved surface wettability and zeta potential. The simultaneous thermal analysis (thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)) results have shown that the presence of polar groups in the PP-[O] film samples affects the melting and decomposition temperatures; they are higher than those of PP film. The change in the enthalpy of melting indicated a change in the surface energy. The band gap (Eg) determined from diffuse reflectance spectra in the UV-visible region by the Kubelka-Munk method has decreased for modified PP films, and they have become more suitable for optoelectronics.

One-step UV-curable ligand copolymer coatings as non-migratory antioxidant packaging

Polymeric surface photografting is a desirable method to modify the interfacial interactions of inert materials and enable one-step surface functionalization e.g. antimicrobial, antifouling, bioprinting, and so on. Herein, a novel UV-curable lysine derivate ligand copolymer coating was synthesized using surfactant-free emulsion polymerization for use as a non-migratory antioxidant packaging coating. NMR was used to estimate the ratio of butyl acrylate (47 mol%) and benzophenone moiety (19 mol%) in the copolymer that would be optimal for UV-curable coating on the polypropylene (PP) film surface. The copolymer, containing 34 mol% of functional monomer, was photochemically grafted onto the PP film surface (365 nm, 90 s), and a large amount of COOH functional groups was detected on the PP film surface (302 ± 19 nM). The chemical and microstructural evaluations of the film confirmed the ligand compositions and grafting morphology of the ligand film (rough surface). The ligand film adequately chelated Fe+3 (215 ± 26 nM,) in an aqueous solution with pH of 5; this chelation imparted antioxidant properties to the ligand film. Furthermore, the ligand film was stored with virgin olive oil and vitamin C (pH = 7) inoculated with Fe+3, which significantly (p < 0.05) retarded the lag time of oxidation and degradation of the product, respectively. The EU migration test proved that this system did not leave any migrant residue, enabling the clean labeling of the system. This work bridged the research gap in non-migratory antioxidant packaging by developing a curable biomimetic ligand copolymer using a practical industrial scalable method that can be applied for packaging, cosmetics, and biomedical purposes.

Ultraviolet-Printing-Assisted Surface-Confined Growth of Silver Nanoparticles on Flexible Polymer Films for Cu2+ and H2S Sensing

Metal nanoparticles (NPs) confined on the surface of flexible polymers films are highly sought after for a diverse range of applications. Herein, we report a facile substrate-independent strategy for surface-confined growth of silver NPs (AgNPs) on the surfaces of chemically diverse flexible polymer film substrates represented by polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The surfaces of polymer films were subjected to ultraviolet-printing and conjugated to the hyperbranched polyethyleneimine (PEI). The PEI-functionalized surfaces were subjected to surface-confined growth of AgNPs via three approaches. Besides PEI, the ability of quaternary amine and carboxylic acid functional groups to assist surface-confined growth of AgNPs is also evaluated. All the films with surface-confined AgNPs exhibited absorbance due to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) characteristic of AgNPs. The AgNPs confined on the surface of PP films were functionalized with 4-mercaptobenzoic acid, and the λmax for SPR absorbance of the resulting platform was found to exhibit a markedly higher bathochromic shift when exposed to Cu2+ ions. This Cu2+ ions sensor could sense Cu2+ ions with a limit of detection of 2.6 ppm. Besides Cu2+ sensing via a bathochromic shift in λmax for SPR absorbance, the SPR absorbance of AgNPs confined on the surface of PP films was found to diminish upon exposure to the aqueous solution of sodium hydrosulfide (NaSH), which acts as a hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donor. The intensity of the SPR absorbance was found to decrease >40% upon exposure to 5 μM aqueous NaSH solution, whereas the SPR signal almost completely disappeared with visual decoloration when the films were exposed to 50 μM aqueous NaSH solution. This highlights the H2S sensing ability of the AgNPs confined on the surface of PP films. In brief, this study is a step toward the future development of flexible chemical sensor platforms and beyond.

Comparison of oxidative treatments of polypropylene films and fibers to promote zinc oxide nanoparticle adhesion

Ozone, heating-in-air, and chromic acid treatments of polypropylene (PP) films and fibers were evaluated for their ability to promote ZnO nanoparticle (NP) adhesion. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) demonstrated that the oxygen content of the surface of PP films increased due to all treatments, with high binding energy O1s components emerging consistent with carbonyl, carboxylic acid, ester and hydroperoxide groups. The latter two were dominant for chromic acid treatment. The XPS measurements were complemented by attenuated total reflectance FTIR spectroscopy studies. Pull-off measurements from PP films, using a ZnO particle attached to the cantilever of an atomic force microscope, indicated that ozone and chromic acid treatments were equally effective at increasing adhesive forces. However, scanning electron microscopy studies of PP fibers treated with either ozone or chromic acid, and subsequent immersion in an ethanolic ZnO NP suspension, showed that ozone treatment was more effective than chromic acid treatment at promoting adhesion. This likely results from the poorer ability of ester and hydroperoxide groups, compared to carboxylic acid ones, to bind to hydroxylated ZnO NPs. It was further shown that excessive ozone treatment leads to brittleness of the fibers, as evidenced by cracking when the fibers are stirred. These results indicate that moderate ozone treatment of PP films and fibers may be a convenient method to attach metal oxide particles to PP surfaces.

Experimental characterization of multi-wire corona electrode configurations

Corona discharge is a method widely used in industrial processes for charging insulating films, non-woven media, or granular materials. Its efficiency is assessed by the high level and the homogeneity of the electric charge distribution at the surface of the exposed bodies. The aim of this work is to evaluate the charging efficiency of a new multi-wire corona electrode. Several geometrical parameters have been taken into consideration, more specifically the number of wires and the distance between any two of them. In the first set of experiments, the I–V characteristic and the distribution of the current density along the ground plane were measured. The second set of experiments were carried out with the objective to record the electric potential at the surface of polypropylene (PP) films exposed to corona discharge generated by these electrodes in two charging modes: static and dynamic. The obtained results point to the distribution of both the corona current density and the electric potential at the surface of PP films.

Improved Dielectric Properties of Polypropylene Nanocomposites with BaTiO3 Nanoparticles

Polymer nanocomposites with improved dielectric permittivity are extremely desirable for the power capacitors. With the existing capacitor polypropylene (PP) film as the substrate, the surface of PP film is coated with a layer of BaTiO3 (BT) with high dielectric constant of nanoparticles. Through the BT layer with high dielectric constant, the dielectric constant of the whole composite dielectric film is improved, and the dielectric loss is controlled at a relatively low level. The organic solvent system of BT paste coating and water system of BT paste coating research were prepared. Two kind of composite dielectric films which are PP/PVDF/BT and PP/BT were prepared by coating. The permittivity of PP/ BT nano-composites with 50 wt% fillers at 1000 Hz was up to 4.49, which was nearly 2 times higher than that of pure PP film. According to the method, a pilot experiment was carried out. The strategy could be extended to a variety of inorganic fillers to improve the dielectric properties of polymer nano- composites for power capacitors.

A novel poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)-degrading actinobacterium that was isolated from plastisphere formed on marine plastic debris

Plastic debris surfaces in marine environments provide novel habitats for marine microbes. This type of microbial community is known as a “plastisphere”. Prior metagenomic analyses of plastispheres suggest that the surface of marine plastic debris contain plastic-degrading microbes. Here, we focus on plastisphere as a microbial source. We isolated strain OK12 from plastic bag debris collected from a beach in Japan. The strain grew on a mineral medium supplemented with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] as the sole carbon source. Genetic and biochemical analyses demonstrated that the strain belongs to the genus Nocardioides. In addition, the average nucleotide identity value of the two genomes of the strain OK12 and Nocardioides marinisabuli DSM 18965, a marine species, was 98.3 %, above the 95 % threshold. The strain did not grow above 50 °C, and the optimum temperature for growth was 30 °C. The strain grew and degraded P(3HB) in a broad range of NaCl concentrations (0.01–2.4 M), whereas it did not grow without NaCl, suggesting that the strain is a marine species. The strain degraded the P(3HB) film at a fast rate, despite the fact that the P(3HB) degrading activity in the culture supernatant was low. The strain formed biofilms on the P(3HB) and polypropylene film surfaces. This biofilm formation may have helped the strain to degrade P(3HB).

Effects of air-based nonequilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma jet treatment on characteristics of polypropylene film surfaces

Polypropylene (PP) film surfaces were treated using air-based nonequilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma jets generated with a twisted wires-cylindrical electrode configuration. For comparison, PP samples were also processed with Ar plasma jets. The flux of charged particles imparted to the polymer surface by the air plasma jet greatly increased with decreases in both the gas flow rate and nozzle-to-sample distance, which was not the case for the Ar plasma jet. Reducing the gas flow rate and the nozzle-to-sample distance greatly enhanced the extent to which the surface was rendered hydrophilic by the air plasma within a short treatment time of 1 min. This enhanced effect is believed to originate from a high concentration of oxygen-based functional polar groups (FPGs) containing CO/COH and CO/COOH bonds grafted onto the surface. The hydrophilic surfaces resulting from this process also exhibited nanopore structures. The large number of oxygen-based FPGs produced by the air plasma can be attributed primarily to oxygen radical ions impinging from the air plasma on the surface. This can further be attributed secondarily to heat-induced oxidation rather than the sticking of oxygen radicals and UV-induced oxidation from the plasma. The nanoporous structure can also be ascribed to oxidation from UV photogenerated holes.

Development of phosphor containing functional coatings via cold atmospheric pressure plasma jet - Study of various operating parameters

Abstract In this study, we deposited phosphorous containing functional coatings on the surface of polypropylene (PP) substrate by cold atmospheric plasma assisted polymerization using low temperature plasma jet. Triisopropyl phosphate (TIP) was used as precursor while the coating process was carried out as a function of deposition potential and monomer flow rate. The influence of various plasma polymerization operating parameters on the surface properties of functional coatings are examined by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS). The reactive species involved during the in-situ polymerization were studied by optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The variation in hydrophilic properties of the surface coated film was investigated by measuring contact angle. Furthermore, the stability of post-plasma polymerized films was evaluated by measuring contact angle values 15 days after storing in various ambient conditions (air and distilled water). The characterization results clearly exhibited that phosphorus containing functional films could be successfully deposited on the surface of PP films and the retention of the functional groups could be tuned within the framework of the operating parameters.

Influence of operating parameters on development of polyethylene oxide-like coatings on the surfaces of polypropylene films by atmospheric pressure cold plasma jet-assisted polymerization to enhance their antifouling properties

In this study, we investigated the deposition of a polyethylene oxide (PEO)-like coating on the surfaces of polypropylene (PP) films via atmospheric pressure cold plasma jet-assisted polymerization using ethylene glycol dimethyl ether as a precursor. The PEO-like coatings were deposited using different operating parameters (deposition potential and monomer flow rates) and we determined their effects on the film properties, such as the topography, surface chemistry, and surface free energy, based on atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and contact angle measurements. The interfacial tension between various biological liquids and the PEO-like film surfaces were studied in detail. The antifouling properties of the PEO-like films were examined in vitro, including protein adsorption and platelet adhesion. The results showed that the retention of the PEO-like character and the formation of new functional groups were highly dependent on the operating parameters. Significant changes in the film topography and wettability were obtained by further regulating the plasma operating parameters. All of the PEO-like films had good antifouling properties according to the in vitro analysis results.

Optimization of UV-Induced Graft Polymerization of Acrylic Acid on Polypropylene Films Using CdS as Light Sensor

Photoconductive cell of CdS was used to optimize the photograft polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) onto polypropylene film surface. Effect of UV-light intensity on the performance of this reaction...

Preparation of acrylic resins modified with epoxy resins and their behaviors as binders of waterborne printing ink on plastic film

Polymers have low-energy surfaces and are difficult to be adhered by waterborne inks due to the higher surface tension of the waterborne inks. An approach to prepare acrylic resin used as a binder of waterborne printing ink on plastic film with excellent adhesion and water resistance is described. The epoxy resin is incorporated into the acrylic resin to enhance the molecular interactions between binder molecules in ink and surface molecules of plastic film. The binder resin is obtained by esterifying epoxy resin with methyl acrylic acid and then co-polymerizing the esterification product with several acrylic monomers via a free radical polymerization. The acrylic resin modified by bisphenol A epoxy resins (EP-MA-AR) shows significant enhancement over the acrylic resin without modification (AR) in adhesion between ink and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film surface and as well water resistance performance. N-Hydroxymethyl acrylamide (NHMA) is introduced into the synthesis recipe to further enhance the interactions between the polymer chains in ink and the polar groups on the surface of non-polar polypropylene(PP) film caused by the corona discharge treatment and improves the adhesion between ink on and surface of PP film dramatically, whatever using AR or EP-MA-AR as binder. The adhesion between ink and PET film surface is also further improved by this method. The water resistance of AR and EP-MA-AR is also greatly improved under the appropriate content of NHMA. Two Tgs appear on the DSC curve of EP-MA-AR, suggesting the separated status of the epoxy modified acrylic chains and the acrylic chains without modification in EP-MA-AR. The experimental data of waterborne ink on PET and PP indicate the EP-MA-AR resin prepared in this way is an applicable binder of waterborne ink on plastic film.

Antibacterial nanocomposite preparation of polypropylene-Silver using Corona discharge

Abstract Silver nanoparticles were coated on polypropylene film to study its antibacterial activity. For this purpose, the surface of polypropylene film was treated by the corona discharge and then the modified polymeric film was immersed in a stable and uniform colloidal solution of silver nanoparticles that was synthesized by chemical reduction of silver salt using hydrazine hydrate. A solution containing the silver nanoparticles were prepared using polyamide resin in three different concentrations of 0.01 M, 0.005 M and 0.001 M. The nanoparticles solution was exposed to ultrasound to prevent their agglomeration. Corona discharge was used to change the polarity of the nonpolar surface of polypropylene and prepare it for coating. The effects of corona treatment conditions on the surface modification and performance of the silver/polypropylene nanocomposite films were investigated. Characterisation of nanoparticles and the coated surface were carried out using UV–vis Spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The images of SEM suggested that the coating of the film enhances with increasing the power and the time. The antibacterial activity of polypropylene-silver nanocomposite against two types of bacteria including gram-negative Escherichia coli and gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus was measured by disc-diffusion method. The current method of preparation significantly reduces the amount of required nanoparticles which ultimately offers lower production cost.

Effect of processing parameters on the deposition of SiOx-like coatings on the surface of polypropylene films using glow discharge plasma assisted polymerization for tissue engineering applications

In this investigation hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) was used to deposit SiOx-like coatings on the surface of polypropylene (PP) films using an Ar + O2 glow discharge. Discharge potential and deposition time were varied systematically to optimize various SiOx coating properties such as hydrophilicity, oxidation state and surface homogeneity for possible tissue engineering applications. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and contact angle were employed to analyze the said changes. Cell compatibility study of the SiOx films was done by in-vitro analysis, using NIH-3T3 (mouse embryonic fibroblast) cells to study the influence of the surface characteristics on cell adhesion and proliferation. The SiOx films were found to be highly hydrophilic, based on the contact angle and surface energy results. XPS confirmed the efficient incorporation of various oxidation states of Si and oxygen containing polar functional groups on the surface of PP film. Overall, a relatively smooth surface topography was observed, with distinct differences, depending on the applied plasma parameters. The in-vitro analysis characterized SiOx films as cyto-compatible, i.e improved non-toxicity, adhesion and proliferation of NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells. Overall, the developed films were found to exhibit a high potential for possible tissue engineering applications.

Fabrication of micropatterns on polypropylene films via plasma pretreatment combined with UV-initiated graft polymerization

In this study, micropatterns on polypropylene films were fabricated via plasma pretreatment and UV-initiated graft polymerization. Firstly, radio-frequency plasma, which does not significantly influence bulk attributes of substrates due to limited penetration depth, was utilized to activate polypropylene films. Then, different sizes of micropatterns of poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) were fabricated on the polypropylene films via UV-initiated graft polymerization of hydroxyethyl methacrylate by using photo-masks. Scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and contact angle (CA) were employed to characterize changes of pristine polypropylene films and modified ones in surface morphology, roughness, hydrophilicity, free energy and the surface chemical composition. All of these confirmed the successful grafting of different sizes of PHEMA micropatterns on the polypropylene surface. Furthermore, the influence of PHEMA micropatterns on cell proliferation and cytotoxicity was evaluated invitro. Analysis of cell behaviour indicated that PHEMA micropatterns of the appropriate size can promote cellular adhesion and proliferation, and the PHEMA-micropatterned polypropylene films had good biocompatibility. The approach presented here provides an alternative to synthesize on the surface of polypropylene films' micropatterns with the aim of using them in a diverse array of applications.

Rapid fabrication of TiO2@carboxymethyl cellulose coatings capable of shielding UV, antifog and delaying support aging

Agricultural plastic films capable of shielding UV, filtering visible light and antifog are important to prolong their life and protect safeties of agriculturists and crops. In this work, high stable and small size TiO2@polymer nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by an efficient one-pot microwave synthesis using titanic sulfate as Ti resource, carboxymethyl cellulose sodium (CMC) as complexing agent and stabilizer. The TiO2@CMC NPs obtained were then utilized to fabricate poly(ethylene imine) (PEI)/TiO2@CMC coatings on the surface of polypropylene films by a layer-by-layer assembly technique. The TiO2@CMC NPs show rapid deposition rate because small, spherical and anion-rich TiO2@CMC NPs possess large specific surface area and fast diffusion rate. More importantly, property experiments confirm that (PEI/TiO2@CMC)*15 coatings can not only effectively shield UV rays, filter visible light and prevent fogging but also delay the aging of their supports.

Optimization of acrylic acid grafting onto polypropylene using response surface methodology and its biodegradability

Simultaneous radiation grafting was optimized to graft acrylic acid monomer on the polypropylene (PP) films to make them hydrophilic and enhance their biodegradability. Experiments were designed based on full factorial central composite design (response surface methodology) and influence of monomer concentration, radiation dose, inhibitor concentration, solvent concentration on degree of grafting was investigated. The extent of grafting was found to increase with increasing monomer concentration, inhibitor concentration and radiation dose. The targeted 35% grafting could be achieved at optimum condition viz. monomer concentration 12.09wt%, radiation dose 12.40 kGy, inhibitor concentration 0.07M and solvent concentration 0.12M. The grafted PP films at different degrees of grafting were tested for tensile properties and characterized by swelling studies, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Successful grafting of acrylic acid onto polypropylene films was indicated by FTIR and confirmed quantitatively by determination of carboxylic groups on the film surface. Tensile strength of grafted PP films decreased with increase in degree of grafting. The crystallinity of the grafted PP films was lower than that of PP film as indicated by DSC studies. Grafting of acrylic acid increased the roughness on the surface of PP films indicated by SEM studies. The maximum biodegradability of the 34.55% grafted film was 5.5%.

Influence of non-thermal TiCl4/Ar + O2 plasma-assisted TiOx based coatings on the surface of polypropylene (PP) films for the tailoring of surface properties and cytocompatibility

The superior bulk properties (corrosion resistance, high strength to weight ratio, relatively low cost and easy processing) of hydrocarbon based polymers such as polypropylene (PP) have contributed significantly to the development of new biomedical applications such as artificial organs and cell scaffolds. However, low cell affinity is one of the main draw backs for PP due to its poor surface properties. In tissue engineering, physico-chemical surface properties such as hydrophilicity, polar functional groups, surface charge and morphology play a crucial role to enrich the cell proliferation and adhesion. In this present investigation TiOx based biocompatible coatings were developed on the surface of PP films via DC excited glow discharge plasma, using TiCl4/Ar+O2 gas mixture as a precursor. Various TiOx-based coatings are deposited on the surface of PP films as a function of discharge power. The changes in hydrophilicity of the TiOx/PP film surfaces were studied using contact angle analysis and surface energy calculations by Fowke's approximation. X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to investigate the surface chemical composition of TiOx/PP films. The surface morphology of the obtained TiOx/PP films was investigated by scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy (SEM &TEM). Moreover, the surface topography of the material was analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The cytocompatibility of the TiOx/PP films was investigated via in vitro analysis (cell viability, adhesion and cytotoxicity) using NIH3T3 (mouse embryonic fibroblast) cells. Furthermore the antibacterial activities of TiOx/PP films were also evaluated against two distinct bacterial models namely Gram positive Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) and Gram negative Escherichia coli DH5α. (E.coli) bacteria. XPS results clearly indicate the successful incorporation of TiOx and oxygen containing polar functional groups on the surface of plasma treated PP films. Moreover the surface of modified PP films exhibited nano structured morphology, as confirmed by SEM, TEM and AFM. The physico-chemical changes have improved the hydrophilicity of the PP films. The in-vitro analysis clearly confirms that the TiOx coated PP films performs as good as the standard tissue culture plates and also are unlikely to impact the bacterial cell viability.

Radiation-induced grafting of acrylic acid onto polypropylene film and its biodegradability

Abstract Polypropylene based commodity polyolefins are widely used in packaging, manufacturing, electrical, pharmaceutical and other applications. The aim of the present work is to study the effect of grafting of acrylic acid on the biodegradability of acrylic acid grafted polypropylene. The effect of different conditions showed that grafting percentage increased with increase in monomer concentration, radiation dose and inhibitor concentration but decreased with increase in radiation dose rate. The maximum grafting of 159.4% could be achieved at optimum conditions. The structure of grafted polypropylene films at different degree of grafting was characterized by EDS, FTIR, TGA, DSC, SEM and XRD. EDS studies showed that the increase in acrylic acid grafting percentage increased the hydrophilicity of the grafted films. FTIR studies indicated the presence of acrylic acid on the surface of polypropylene film. TGA studies revealed that thermal stability decreased with increase in grafting percentage. DSC studies showed that melting temperature and crystallinity of the grafted polypropylene films lower than polypropylene film. SEM studies indicated that increase in acrylic acid grafting percentage increased the wrinkles in the grafted films. The maximum biodegradability could be achieved to 6.85% for 90.5% grafting. This suggested that microorganisms present in the compost could biodegrade acrylic acid grafted polypropylene.