ABSTRACT
Abstract-Surface modification of polymers by ozone (O3) was investigated using in situ FT-IR spectroscopy for polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS). Gaseous O3 with 3026 ppm concentration was used to treat the polymers at different temperatures. It was found that the IR band assigned to C=O stretching appeared in the PE-O3 treated at 65°C, but the O3 treatment at 25°C showed a lower intensity of this band. This indicated that the PE segments were finally oxidized to form C=O groups. Mass spectrometry was employed to detect gaseous components of the O3 atmosphere, when PE was present. The presence of OH+ at m/z 17 indicated that dehydrogenation of PE occurred at 65°C. On the other hand, in the PS-O3 system, the results from the in situ FT-IR spectra indicated that the intensity of the C=O band was enhanced in the O3 atmosphere. Oxidation of PS by O3 was observed regardless of the temperature. In the PS-O3 system, the O3 contained the component O2+• at m/z 32 at a much lower signal intensity. These facts evidenced that O3 directly oxidized the PS ring and formed C=O groups via ozonide intermediate.
