Yves De Puydt

A static SIMS study of the chemical modifications induced by plasma and flame treatments at the surface of polyolefins

Static SIMS (SSIMS) has been used as an analytical tool for the study of the physicochemical changes following the surface treatments of polyolefin samples. First, the influence of the treatment duration has been investigated for nitrogen plasma and flame treated polypropylene (PP). Then, in order to confirm the interpretation of these SSIMS results, the influence of the plasma atmosphere and of the treatment duration on the surface modifications has been studied for hexatriacontane (C36H74), a model compound of linear saturated hydrocarbons. SSIMS results are discussed in light of the other complementary physicochemical characterizations presented previously, namely, surface energy measurements and XPS analyses.

Use of Ionic Spectrometries for the Study of the Metal/Polymer Interface

The study of metallized polymers samples elaborated in industrial and laboratory conditions, has allowed to determine the key parameters which govern the properties of evaporated metal films on polymers. The metal-polymer adhesion has been evaluated by the peel test and the scratch test methods. The chemical composition of the thin metal layers evaporated on polymers substrates was determined with the help of SIMS and RBS; their microstructure was studied by electron microscopy (TEM). Furthermore, ISS has been used in order to determine the locus of failure during the peel test procedure and also in order to study the early stages of the metal growth on different polymers substrates. An attempt to rely these macroscopic and microscopic properties of metallized polymers is proposed. It is shown that the control of these properties depends not only on the physico-chemical properties of the polymers substrates but also on the metallization conditions.

SIMS surface analysis of PET: degradation development

Semi-crystalline industrial polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has been analyzed, directly or after an ionic prebombardment, by Static SIMS spectrometry using 4 keV Xe ions. The prebombardment doses cover approximately one order of magnitude from 1.8 x 1013 ions/cm2 (dose for a direct SSIMS spectrum) to 1.8 x 1014 ions/cm2. By comparing the spectra using differences it is shown that, for the mentioned doses, the major features of the appearing degradation are, on the one hand, crosslinking and/or graphitization and, on the other hand, unsaturation. These features are studied as a function of the ionic dose and the polymer characteristics.