The Adhesion Properties of a Thermoplastic Olefin Elastomer Grafted with Maleic anhydride Under Nitrogen Plasma

Author(s): Hong, Shinn-Gwo, Chi-An Ho

Journal: J. Polym. Research (2002) 9: 227–232.

Abstract:
The attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR), the lap shear test, and the contact angle measurement are used to analyze adhesion properties of the thermoplastic olefin elastomer (TPO) after plasma exposure. TPO is dip-coated with maleic anhydride (MA) that mixed with benzophenone (BP), benzoyl peroxide, and azobisisobutyronitrile initiators before exposed to nitrogen plasma. The amounts of grafted MA, the lap shear strength (LSS), and the surface energy depend on the plasma exposure time and the type of initiator applied. An increase in plasma exposure results in the increase of the total surface energy and the polar groups, but a decrease in the LSS of the grafted TPO. The MA grafted greatly improves the LSS of TPO and the specimen prepared with BP initiator has the greatest LSS after plasma exposure. It is also confirmed that the nature of the grafted layer could have a significant effect on the adhesion strength.