Grafting fluorocarbons to polyethylene in glow discharge

Abstract

A systematic surface fluorination of high‐density polyethylene was carried out using CF₄, CF₃H, CF₃Cl, and CF₃Br, in a radio‐frequency glow discharge. Based on ESCA and wettability measurements, all of these compounds provided a fluorocarbon layer on high‐density polyethylene surface, but the fluorine to carbon ratio and extractability of the films were strongly dependent on the starting materials and the location of the sample specimen in the reactor chamber as well as the duration of the reaction. The results with vertically held, CF₃H‐treated samples showed a high level of nonextractable surface fluorination and very little change in wetting properties before and after extraction with CF₂ClCFCl₂.