| abstract |
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method for modifying the surface of a polymer substrate, for example, exposing the substrate to a flame, improving the wettability of the polymer thin film surface and / or containing silicon. It is intended to provide a method for attaching a structure to a substrate surface. The flame is assisted by a fuel and oxidizer mixture that includes at least one silicon-containing compound that acts as a fuel and is an effective amount to modify the surface of the polymer substrate. Also disclosed is a substrate having a surface that is modified by exposing the substrate to a flame assisted by the method of the present invention. Significant increases in the ASTM wet test, for example, greater than 13 mJ / m 2 of the test reported in conventional flame treatment methods, were observed in polymer substrates treated according to the present invention. In addition, significant amounts of silicon-containing chemical groups attached to the polymer substrate surface were observed. |