Surface Analysis of Polyolefin Films Modified by Corona Discharge Treatment

Polyolefin films are widely used in many applications such as packaging. They need good adhesion properties to printing inks, paints and laminations. Because of the inert nature ofpolyolefins, they need surface treatment to have enough polarity on their surface. Corona discharge is one of thetechniques which has been used for modification of polyolefin surface. In corona discharge with high ac voltage current, the air molecules between two electrodes excited and oxygenatoms convert to ozone and nascent oxygen (Fig 1(a)) [1,2]. Nascent oxygen reacts with the polyolefin and breaksmolecules bonds on the surface and generates polar oxygen atoms (mainly COH, C=O and C-O) (Fig 1(b)) [1]. Tocharacterize the modification of polyolefin surface by coronadischarge, wettability of the surface was evaluated by contact angle, morphology was studied with AFM and chemical structure was investigated by FTIR/ATR.