SOLUBILIZATION OF CORONA DISCHARGE-TREATED AND PLASMA-TREATED POLYSTYRENE

Polystyrene tissue culture vessels are commercially treated by corona discharge or plasma surface oxidation to provide a hydrophilic surface, with 15-20% surface oxygen. ESCA and FTIR showed that oxidation forms hydroxyl, carbonyl, and carboxyl groups. We have discovered that water washing removes about half the oxidized species. It is believed that reaction with the vinyl polymer backbone to form carboxyl groups results in CC bond scission to form soluble fragments; addition and ring reactions would not yield soluble species. This functional group removal could affect the desired properties, such as the use of these groups as anchors in chemical coupling. © 1991.