Plasma-initiated graft polymerization of water-soluble vinyl monomers onto hydrophobic films and its application to metal ion adsorbing films

Plasma-initiated graft polymerization of water-soluble vinyl monomers such as acrylic acid, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and acrylamide was carried out onto polyethylene, polypropylene and poly(ethylene terephthalate) films. It was found that these monomers could be graft polymerized quite easily to 0.5%–670% of the mass of the dry films by exposing the films to a plasma for 90s, with subsequent post-polymerization at room temperature. Thus, polyethylene films capable of adsorbing and desorbing metal ions reversibly could be prepared by grafting the monomers described.