Analysis of surface modified polymers: XPS and conductivity measurements

Full text: Design specific, surface modified polymers are finding ever increasing application in technological, manufacturing and medical areas. A brief review will be presented of such, followed by specific reference to electrical properties of surface modified polymeric materials, their application and analysis. A new method has been devised for the measurement of resistivity in the surface region of insulating materials, including many well known polymers. It measures resistivity through recording of the decay of surface charge placed on the surface of a sample. This method will be outlined and results presented. An ionic charge transport theory has also been developed, based on self field driven motion of, and diffusion transport of, charge carriers; which provides greater insight into the way carriers move in the surface region of insulators in general. The agreement between this theory and the measurements obtained has resulted in an accurate technique for the measurement of electrical resistivity in the surface region of insulators. Values may also be simultaneously obtained for the carrier diffusion coefficient, and the carrier occupancy depth. The methodology has been applied to a series of surface modified polymers under various grafting conditions (graft concentration, temperature and time). The chosen substrates were: polyaniline (PAN), low density polyethylene (LDPE) and teflon (PTFE), pretreated for grafting by either Ar plasma or ozone. The graft monomers used for copolymerisation were acrylic acid (Mc), sodium salt of styrene sulfonic acid (NaSS) and N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAA). XPS measurements of the samples will also be used to infer the conduction mechanisms in the materials resulting from grafting procedures. Copyright (1999) Australian X-ray Analytical Association Inc