XPS STUDY ON GRAFT POLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLIC ACID ONTO POLYETHYLENE FILMS BY γ-RADIATION

Acrylic acid-grafted polyethylene (PE) films have been prepared by γ-radiation and the grafting degrees were determined gravimetrically. It was indicated that the grafting degrees increased with the increasing doses under the same dose rates. XPS results showed that the mole ratios of polyacrylic acid (PAA) to PE were dependent on the grafting degrees. This is the basis of XPS characterization of the grafting. XPS and SEM studies found that the distributions of PAA on the surfaces of PE films were not uniform and a part of the surface for every sample was not covered with PAA. This is very important for the preparation of membranes and the studies on their functions.