Process for making hydrophilic polyethylene
AssigneeUniversity of Florida
InventorsChristopher D. Batich, Ali Yahiaoui
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Abstract
A process for grafting acrylamide onto the surface of low density polyethylene (LDPE). The LDPE is first oxidized by a chromic acid solution and then reduced with diborane to produce a hydroxyl-rich surface. Acrylamide is then grafted onto the surface of the LDPE by free-radical initiation, resulting in a hydrophilic polyacrylamide layer covalently bonded to the LDPE. The process has no effect on the bulk properties of the LDPE.
Claims15
A process for producing hydrophilic polyethylene comprising the grafting of acrylamide to polyethylene by:
- A. oxidizing the surface of said polyethylene to form a carbonyl-rich surface;
- B. reducing the carbonyl-rich surface to form an hydroxyl-rich surface;
- and
- C. exposing said hydroxyl-rich surface to acrylamide monomer in the presence of a free-radical initiator.
A process for producing hydrophilic polyethylene comprising grafting acrylamide to the surface of said polyethylene by:
- A. contacting said polyethylene with a solution comprising three parts chromium trioxide, three parts sulfuric acid and four parts water for approximately 5 minutes at approximately 72.degree. C.;
- B. removing said polyethylene from said solution and contacting said polyethylene with a solution comprising 70% nitric acid for approximately 15 minutes at approximately 50.degree. C.;
- C. removing, rinsing and drying in vacuum said polyethylene;
- D. contacting said polyethylene with a solution comprising 1 M diborane in tetrahydrofuran for approximately 18 to 24 hours at room temperature;
- E. removing, rinsing, and drying in vacuum said polyethylene;
- and
- F. placing said polyethylene in a solution comprising ceric ammonium nitrate, acrylamide monomer and water for approximately 18 hours at room temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.