Surface characterization of poly(2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropyl methacrylate) by inverse gas chromatography and contact angle measurements

A fluorinated methacrylic homopolymer, poly(2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropyl methacrylate) (PPFPMA) was synthesized by a free radical polymerization reaction. The dispersive component of the surface energy (image) of PPFPMA was determined by contact angle measurements and inverse gas chromatography (IGC). An extensive surface characterization was conducted by means of IGC. Surface characterization demonstrated that PPFPMA has low image value, even at 35 °C and is a Lewis amphoteric polymer with predominantly basic character, as confirmed by the Lewis acidity and basicity constants KA and KB, respectively. The values of image obtained by IGC are slightly higher than those obtained by the contact angle method. This trend can be attributed to the fact that IGC evaluates, primarily, high energy sites of a surface.