POS7-1132
RF Plasma-Induced Surface Modification of Polyethylene: Chemical Properties and Gas Barrier Enhancement
Topic
S7. Innovations in Polymeric Composites: From Design and Processing to Industrial Applications
When and Where
Sep 30, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Heesuk KIM
Jinhye BAE
Presenter(s)
Serim Youn (Yonsei University)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Polyethylene (PE) is widely used in food packaging for its lightweight and flexibility, but its nonpolar surface limits interfacial adhesion and gas barrier performance. In this study, surface modification via radio frequency (RF) plasma treatment using O₂ and O₂/Ar gases were investigated as an environmentally friendly and process-efficient strategy for functionalizing PE films and powders. For PE films, plasma treatment successfully introduced oxygen-containing functional groups onto the surface, leading to a significant increase in surface energy( 
) from 33.4 mN m-1 to ~ 76.0 mN m-1. The O₂/Ar-treated films demonstrated superior interfacial adhesion with an ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH)-based O2-barrier layer compared to the untreated film. The EVOH-laminated composite films exhibited an O₂ permeability as low as 2.0 cm³(STP)·mm·m⁻²·24h⁻¹·atm⁻¹, meeting the mono-material regulation threshold of below 5 wt% functional layer content. Building upon these findings, the RF plasma treatment using O₂/Ar gases was being extended to PE powder, where surface functionalization prior to film manufacturing was expected to enhance the 
and gas barrier performance. These results demonstrate that RF plasma surface modification is an effective strategy for enhancing the chemical properties of PE, providing high-performance and sustainable packaging materials.
) from 33.4 mN m-1 to ~ 76.0 mN m-1. The O₂/Ar-treated films demonstrated superior interfacial adhesion with an ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH)-based O2-barrier layer compared to the untreated film. The EVOH-laminated composite films exhibited an O₂ permeability as low as 2.0 cm³(STP)·mm·m⁻²·24h⁻¹·atm⁻¹, meeting the mono-material regulation threshold of below 5 wt% functional layer content. Building upon these findings, the RF plasma treatment using O₂/Ar gases was being extended to PE powder, where surface functionalization prior to film manufacturing was expected to enhance the and gas barrier performance. These results demonstrate that RF plasma surface modification is an effective strategy for enhancing the chemical properties of PE, providing high-performance and sustainable packaging materials. 
