Adhesion of evaporated titanium films to ion-bombarded polyethylene

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Abstract
Ti films were deposited onto high-density polyethylene (HDPE) samples by electron-beam evaporation. Prior to film deposition the samples were in situ pretreated by Ar ion bombardment using a sputter ion gun. The adhesion of the films, determined as the pull strength required for film failure, was measured as a function of ion dose. HDPE substrates processed at two different temperatures were examined. The adhesion of the Ti films to HDPE samples processed at ≊150 °C increased with the ion dose to a steady-state value corresponding to the cohesive strength of the HDPE substrate. The adhesion to the samples processed at ≊200 °C increased to a maximum and then decreased for further ion bombardment to a level of the same order as that for films deposited onto as-prepared samples. The effects of the ion bombardment upon the HDPE surface chemistry were examined by means of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The ion bombardment resulted in dehydrogenation and cross linking of the surface region and for prolonged ion bombardment, a graphitelike surface was obtained. The film/substrate interface as well as the initial Ti film growth were examined by XPS analysis. A chemical interaction which resulted in Ti–C bonds was observed at the interface. The Ti film growth followed a pronounced three-dimensional growth mode on as-prepared surfaces whereas the ion bombardment resulted in a change toward a more two-dimensional growth mode. The difference in adhesion behavior for the two types of HDPE substrates was found to be due to a difference in the amounts of low molecular weight products present within the substrates. The HDPE substrates processed at ≊200 °C contained larger amounts of low molecular weight products and also had a lower degree of crystallinity and a less closely packed structure compared to those substrates processed at ≊150 °C. This resulted in a segregation of low molecular weight products towards the surface of substrates processed at ∼200 °C. This segregation in turn is suggested to lead to a weak boundary layer, reducing the adhesion to as-prepared samples and to substrates exposed to a high ion dose.