Surface modification of and adhesion to polystyrene

Polystyrene (PS) is a non-polar polymer that has limited surface properties since it lacks polar functional groups. In this project, different polar functional groups were incorporated onto PS by various methods such as surface treatments (flame treated and chromic acid treated), non-reactive and reactive compounding (at different loadings of copolymers) and grafting of copolymer chains induced by UV irradiation. These functional groups, namely carboxylic acid, hydroxyl, styrene maleic anhydride (compounded and grafted) and poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME), introduced during treatment and modification of PS, may diffuse away from the surface into the bulk and vice versa. The treated and modified surfaces were investigated and compared using a range of surface analysis techniques, which include X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and contact angle measurement in conjunction with chemical derivatisation. [Continues.]