Vacuum UV Surface Photo-Oxidation of Polymeric and Other Materials for Improving Adhesion: A Critical Review

Techniques for vacuum UV (VUV) photo-oxidation of materials, using emission from plasmas with wavelengths shorter than 180 nm, are reviewed focusing on adhesion improvement for polymers, such as, fluoropolymers, membranes used in fuel cells, polyimides, polyethylene, and polystyrene. Future adhesion research is proposed for VUV photo-oxidized polypropylene, poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate), cyclo-olefin polymers, polybenzimidazole, and sustainable polymers.