LDPE Oxidation by CO2 Laser Radiation (10.6 µm)

Abstract

Thermooxidation of LDPE films by CO2 laser radiation, 10.6 μm, was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR). The formation of carbonyl and hydroxyl functional groups onto LDPE films was dependent on the fluency of CO2 laser. IR absorption of vinyl groups and C-O bond present in alcohols showed a decrease and an increase, respectively, indicating that CO2 laser radiation causes simultaneous formation and accumulation of hydroperoxides in LDPE films; furthermore, crystallinity of LDPE films irradiated with CO2 tends to increase. So, CO2 laser radiation is able to oxidize the LDPE films, obtaining a PE with similar spectroscopic properties to that of PE-BIO by a physical process.