Systematic Oxidation of Polystyrene by Ultraviolet-Ozone, Characterized by Near-Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure and Contact Angle
The process of implanting oxygen in polystyrene (PS) via exposure to ultraviolet-ozone (UV-O) was systematically investigated using the characterization technique of near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS). Samples of PS exposed to UV-O for 10-300 s and washed with isopropanol were analyzed using the carbon and oxygen K-edge NEXAFS partial electron yields, using various retarding bias voltages to depth-profile the oxygen penetration into the surface. Evaluation of reference polymers provided a scale to quantify the oxygen concentration implanted by UV-O treatment. We find that ozone initially reacts with the double bonds on the phenyl rings, forming carbonyl groups, but within 1 min of exposure, the ratio of double to single oxygen bonds stabilizes at a lower value. Oxygen penetrates the film with relative ease, creating a fairly uniform distribution of oxygen within at least the first 4 nm (the effective depth probed by NEXAFS here). Before oxygen accumulates in large concentrations, however, it preferentially degrades the uppermost layer of the film by removing oxygenated low-molecular-weight oligomers. The failure to accumulate high concentrations of oxygen is seen in the nearly constant carbon edge jump, the low concentration of oxygen even at 5 min exposure (58% of that in poly(4-acetoxystyrene), the polymer with the most similarities to UV-O-treated PS), and the relatively high contact angles. At 5 min exposure the oxygen concentration contains ca. 7 atomic % oxygen. The oxygen species that are implanted consist predominantly of single O-C bonds and double OC bonds but also include a small fraction of O-H. UV-O treatment leads a plateau after 2 min exposure in the water contact angle hysteresis, at a value of 67 {+-} 2, due primarily to chemical heterogeneity. Annealing above Tg allows oxygenated species to move short distances away from the surface but not diffuse further than 1-2 nm.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). National Synchrotron Light Source
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Doe - Office Of Science
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-98CH10886
- OSTI ID:
- 959541
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-82527-2009-JA; LANGD5; TRN: US201016%%685
- Journal Information:
- Langmuir, Vol. 24, Issue 15; ISSN 0743-7463
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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