Study on the surface reforming of organic materials by hydrogen atom irradiation

Hydrogen atoms were irradiated on polyethylene, polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) at room temperature under 133 Pa, using a conventional discharge flow apparatus. Water contact angles of polyethylene did not change significantly by H atom irradiation, while those of polystyrene decreased as H atom irradiation time increased. XP spectra of H atom-irradiated polystyrene showed that the decrease of the contact angles was due to the formation of oxygen-containing groups on the irradiated surface in which oxygen in the air was taken. In the cases of poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(ethylene terephthalate), water contact angles increased by H atom irradiation. XP spectra of these H atom-irradiated polymers showed that the increase of the contact angles was due to the elimination of oxygen-containing groups from the irradiated surface by H atom irradiation. Surface morphological changes were not observed in the sub-micron meter range between original and H atom-irradiated samples. (author)