Haloform plasma modification of polyolefin surfaces

Abstract Polyolefin surfaces (polyethylene and polypropylene) were exposed to haloform (CHX 3 ) plasmas for introduction of monosort halogen groups. Bromoform and chloroform plasmas produced selectively C–Br (100 Br/100 C) and C–Cl (200 Cl/100 C) groups in high yields. The bromoform plasma showed 1–3 and the chloroform plasma 2–7 post-plasma introduced O-functionalities per 100 C. The polyolefin C–Br groups were grafted wet-chemically or by exposure to the vapour of amines, diols and glycols. Thus, spacer molecules could be covalently bonded to maximal 15 spacer molecules per 100 C for the smallest grafted molecules and 1.2 molecules/100 C for larger molecules as octaaminophenylene-POSS. After metal evaporation the end groups of these polymer-bonded spacer molecules formed also covalent bonds to the metal. Thus, flexible, hydrophobic and barrier elements were introduced into the polymer–metal interfaces for high-impact, high-durable and water-resistant metal–polymer composites as measured by means of peel strengths.