Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Surface modification of PP-EPDM used in automotive industry by mediated electrochemical oxidation

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Iranian Polymer Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The surface of polypropylene/ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (PP-EPDM) blend, used as a bumper in automotive industry, suffers from poor adhesion to its coating despite surface modification. In this work, the effect of surface electrochemical treatment of a bumper surface by Ag (II) ions in HNO3 at different anolyte temperatures and electrolysis time as treatment conditions was investigated and the results were compared with the untreated and flame-treated samples. ATR analysis showed the new active sites with carbonyl, carboxylic and hydroxyl functionalities on the Ag (II)-treated sample. The morphology and topography of differently treated surfaces were examined by SEM and AFM techniques and the results indicated that the surface morphology changed after Ag (II) treatment and chemical etching occurred on the treated-surface. Moreover, the results of zeta potential measurements for Ag (II)-treated sample showed a typical acidic surface which was in consistent with the ATR and EDX results. Improvement in wettability and surface free energy were also obtained especially at ambient temperature up to 47.3 mN/m. A substantial decrease in contact angle was also achieved from 102° to 72°. The results of pull-off test showed that treatment by Ag (II), compared to flame method, can enhance adhesion strength of the PP-EPDM by 20.7 %.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Brewis D, Briggs D, Dahm R, Fletcher I (2000) A ToF-SIMS study of electrochemical pretreatments for polymers. Surf Interf Anal 29:572–581

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Farris S, Pozzoli S, Biagioni P, Duó L, Mancinelli S, Piergiovanni L (2010) The fundamentals of flame treatment for the surface activation of polyolefin polymers—a review. Polymer 51:3591–3605

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Strobel M, Jones V, Lyons CS, Ulsh M, Kushner MJ, Dorai R, Branch MC (2003) A comparison of corona-treated and flame-treated polypropylene films. Plasma Polym 8:61–95

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Hirvikorpi T, Vähä-Nissi M, Harlin A, Marles J, Miikkulainen V, Karppinen M (2010) Effect of corona pre-treatment on the performance of gas barrier layers applied by atomic layer deposition onto polymer-coated paperboard. Appl Surf Sci 257:736–740

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Urbaniak-Domagala W (2011) Pretreatment of polypropylene films for following technological processes. Part 2. The use of low temperature plasma method. J Appl Polym Sci 122:2529–2541

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Slepička P, Kasálková NS, Stránská E, Bačáková L, Švorčík V (2013) Surface characterization of plasma treated polymers for applications as biocompatible carriers. Express Polym Lett 7:535–545

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Urbaniak-Domagala W (2011) Pretreatment of polypropylene films for the creation of thin polymer layers. Part 1: The use of chemical, electrochemical, and UV methods. J Appl Polym Sci 122:2071–2080

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Briggs D, Brewis D, Konieczo M (1976) X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies of polymer surfaces. J Mater Sci 11:1270–1277

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Brewis D, Dahm R (2001) A review of electrochemical pretreatments of polymers. Int J Adhes Adhes 21:397–409

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Custódio J, Broughton J, Cruz H, Winfield P (2009) Activation of timber surfaces by flame and corona treatments to improve adhesion. Int J Adhes Adhes 29:167–172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Green M, Guild F, Adams R (2002) Characterisation and comparison of industrially pre-treated homopolymer polypropylene, HF 135M. Int J Adhes Adhes 22:81–90

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Brewis D, Dahm R, Mathieson I (1997) A new general method of pretreating polymers. J Mater Sci Lett 16:93–95

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Brewis D, Dahm R, Mathieson I (2000) Electrochemical pretreatment of polymers with dilute nitric acid either alone or in the presence of silver ions. J Adhes 72:373–386

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Mokhtari S, Mohammadi F, Nekoomanesh M (2013) Mediated electrochemical degradation of polystyrene by silver (II): optimization and kinetic studies. Int J ChemTech Res 5:2656–2671

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Chandrasekara Pillai K, Chung SJ, Moon I-S (2008) Studies on electrochemical recovery of silver from simulated waste water from Ag(II)/Ag(I) based mediated electrochemical oxidation process. Chemosphere 73:1505–1511

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Govindan M, Chung S-J, Moon I-S (2012) Simple technical approach for perpetual use of electrogenerated Ag (II) at semipilot scale: removal of NO and SO2 as a model system. Ind Eng Chem Res 51:2697–2703

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Racaud C, Savall A, Rondet P, Bertrand N, Groenen Serrano K (2012) New electrodes for silver (II) electrogeneration. Comparison between Ti/Pt, Nb/Pt, and Nb/BDD. Chem Eng J 211:53–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Jacobasch H-J, Grundke K, Schneider S, Simon F (1995) The influence of additives on the adhesion behaviour of thermoplastic materials used in the automotive industry. Prog Org Coat 26:131–143

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Jacobasch H-J (1993) Surface phenomena at polymers in Makromolekulare Chemie. Macromol Symp 75:99–113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Jung C-K, Bae I-S, Lee S-B, Cho J-H, Shin E-S, Choi S-C, Boo J-H (2006) Development of painting technology using plasma surface technology for automobile parts. Thin Solid Films 506:316–322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Guild F, Green M, Stewart R, Goodship V (2008) Air-plasma pre-treatment for polypropylene automotive bumpers. J Adhes 84:530–542

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Mokhtari S, Mohammadi F, Nekoomanesh M (2015) Effect of process parameters on the concentration, current efficiency and energy consumption of electro-generated silver (II). Chem Pap 69:1219–1230

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Chashmejahanbin M, Salimi A, Ershad Langroudi A (2014) The study of the coating adhesion on PP surface modified in different plasma/acrylic acid solution. Int J Adhes Adhes 49:44–50

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Salimi A, Mirabedini S, Atai M, Mohseni M, Naimi-Jamal M (2011) Correlating the adhesion of an acrylic coating to the physico-mechanical behavior of a polypropylene substrate. Int J Adhes Adhes 31:220–225

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Mirabedini S, Mohseni M, Pazoki Fard S, Esfandeh M (2008) Effect of TiO2 on the mechanical and adhesion properties of RTV silicone elastomer coatings. Colloid Surf A Physicochem Eng Aspects 317:80–86

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Grundke K, Jacobasch H-J, Simon F, Schneider S (1995) Physico-chemical properties of surface-modified polymers. J Adhes Sci Technol 9:327–350

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Jones C, Del Campo J, Nevins P, Legg S (2002) Decontamination/destruction technology demonstration for organics in transuranic waste. AEA Technology Engineering Services, Inc. (US), 70–73

  28. Owens DK, Wendt R (1969) Estimation of the surface free energy of polymers. J Appl Polym Sci 13:1741–1747

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Böhm K (2009) Compost quality determination using infrared spectroscopy and multivariate data analysis. Institute of Waste Management. Vienna, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences. PhD, pp 104

  30. Coates J (2000) Interpretation of infrared spectra, a practical approach in encyclopedia of analytical chemistry. John Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  31. Smith BC (1998) Infrared spectral interpretation: a systematic approach. CRC Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  32. Aboudzadeh M, Mirabedini S, Atai M (2007) Effect of silane-based treatment on the adhesion strength of acrylic lacquers on the PP surfaces. Int J Adhes Adhes 27:519–526

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Settle FA (1997) Handbook of instrumental techniques for analytical chemistry

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors appreciate Mehrkam Parts Company, the Iranian automotive company which provided our access to their paint line facilities.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Petrochemicals Synthesis Department, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, P.O. Box: 14965/115, Tehran, Iran

    Shahrnaz Mokhtari & Fereidoon Mohammadi

  2. Engineering Department, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, P.O. Box: 14965/115, Tehran, Iran

    Mehdi Nekoomanesh

Authors
  1. Shahrnaz Mokhtari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fereidoon Mohammadi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mehdi Nekoomanesh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fereidoon Mohammadi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mokhtari, S., Mohammadi, F. & Nekoomanesh, M. Surface modification of PP-EPDM used in automotive industry by mediated electrochemical oxidation. Iran Polym J 25, 309–320 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13726-016-0423-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13726-016-0423-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation