Surface-initiated ring-opening polymerization of psi-caprolactone from the surface of PP film

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science Vol. 105; no. 2; pp. 877 - 884
• Main Authors: Sui, Yuan, Zhao, Jingbo, Gan, Shenghua, Zhao, Hongchi, Yang, Wantai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 15.07.2007
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628
• DOI: 10.1002/app.24746

This article presents the ring-opening polymerization of -caprolactone (-CL) from PP film modified with an initiator layer composed of OSn(Oct) groups. This method consists of two steps: (1) Sn(Oct)2 exchanged with the hydroxyl groups on the surface of PP film, forming the OSn(Oct) groups bonded on the surface; (2) surface-initiated ring-opening polymerization of -CL with the OSn(Oct) groups. The initiator layer is characterized by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), contact angles, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The growth of PCL chains from the initiator layer through ring-opening polymerization is successfully achieved. ATR-FTIR, XPS, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) are also used to characterize the grafted film. XPS results reveal that the PCL chains cover the surface of PP film after 4 h. The SEM images reveal that the PCL chain clusters grow into regular spheroidal particles, which can be changed into other different morphology by treated with different solvents.