Water and toluene barrier properties of a polyamide 12 modified by a surface treatment using cold plasma

CF₄ and CO₂ plasma treatments have been used to modify the barrier properties of a polyamide 12 (PA12) towards permeant molecules, which present opposing characteristics: water and toluene. The surface modifications were observed by atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and surface Gibbs function measurements. Both treatments lead to different surfaces; one is rather hydrophobic (with CF₄) whereas the other is more hydrophilic (with CO₂. The effect of this modification on permeametric properties has been investigated by liquid water and liquid toluene permeation measurements. Our results show opposite effects of the two treatments. CF₄ plasma treatment leads to a reduction of water and toluene permeability. With CO₂ plasma treatment, in terms of permeation, two different behaviours were observed, an increase and a decrease of permeancy for water and toluene respectively. These results are in full agreement with those obtained for the surface characterization, and confirms change in the polymeric surface affinity for the permeant leading to a variation of the materials permeancy.