Effect of plasma surface modification on electrical conduction in polyethylene

High‐density polyethylene films 50 μm thick were exposed to the downstream plasma flow of RF glow discharges in argon, hydrogen, or oxygen. It was found that many transvinylene and unreacted radicals remain after the argon or hydrogen plasma treatment, and that carbonyl groups are formed in the oxygen plasma treatment. The conduction current was smaller in the hydrogen‐plasma treated samples and the samples exposed to oxygen or ozone after hydrogen‐plasma treatment than in the untreated samples. Thermal pulse current measurements indicate that the treated surface layer traps electrons or holes and reduces the field strength at the electrode surface, thus suppressing further injection of electrons or holes.