Combined In Situ XPS and UHV-Chemical Force Microscopy (CFM) Studies of the Plasma Induced Surface Oxidation of Polypropylene

Modification of the surface chemistry and correlated adhesive properties of polypropylene (PP) by means of an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) oxygen plasma source is studied based on an in situ ultra-high-vacuum (UHV)-analytical approach. To determine the plasma induced chemical changes without exposure to atmosphere, X-ray excited valence band (VB) spectroscopy and core level X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are performed. Adhesive properties are characterized by means of UHV chemical force microscopy (UHV-CFM). Correlation of XPS and UHV-CFM data indicate that interactions between a SiO2-tip and the modified PP surface is dominated by hydrogen bonds between surface silanol groups on the tip and induced oxidized species on PP surface. Such interactions are maximized in the initial phase of surface oxidation.