Influence of DC plasma modification on the selected properties and the geometrical surface structure of polylactide prior to autocatalytic metallization Krzysztof Moraczewski a, * , Piotr Rytlewski a , Rafal Malinowski b , Adam Tracz c , Marian _ Zenkiewicz b a Kazimierz Wielki University, Chodkiewicza 30, 85-064 Bydgoszcz, Poland b Institute for Engineering of Polymer Materials and Dyes, Marii Sklodowskiej-Curie 55, 87-100 Toru n, Poland c Centre for Molecular and Macromolecular Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewicza 112, 90-363 L od z, Poland highlights  We modified polylactide surface layer with plasma generated in oxygen or nitrogen.  We tested selected properties and surface structure of modified samples.  DC plasma modification can be used to prepare the PLA surface for metallization.  For better results metallization should be preceded by sonication process. article info Article history: Received 4 February 2014 Received in revised form 18 November 2014 Accepted 27 December 2014 Available online xxx Keywords: Polymers Glow discharge Plasma etching Surface properties abstract The paper presents the results of studies to determine the applicability of plasma modification in the process of polylactide (PLA) surface preparation prior to the autocatalytic metallization. The polylactide plasma modification was carried out in an oxygen or nitrogen chemistry. The samples were tested with the following methods: scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), goniom- etry and electron spectrophotometry (XPS). Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images were demonstrated. The results of surface free energy calculations, performed based on the results of the contact angle measurements have been presented. The results of the qualitative (degree of oxidation or nitridation) and quantitative analysis of the chemical composition of the polylactide surface layer have also been described. The results of the studies show that the DC plasma modification per- formed in the proposed condition is a suitable as a method of surface preparation for the polylactide metallization. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Metallized polymer materials are commonly applied in many different branches of industry. Polymer films, covered with a thin aluminium layer, are commonly used in the food industry as packaging. Electronic equipment is shielded against electromag- netic radiation using copper-coated plastic plates [1]. A dynamic development of manufacturing technologies and miniaturization of electronic systems, automation and robotics, material requirements as well as the requirements from many other areas of modern technology are an important boost for the development of basic and experimental studies in the field of polymer metalliza- tion. There is a need for new polymer materials, received from renewable sources which could be an alternative for polymers received from petroleum; polylactide (PLA) is one of them [2]. Polylactide is currently the subject of intense research and application. It is a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester derived from renewable resources (corn starch, tapioca roots, chips or starch and sugarcane). This polymer is considered as one of the most prom- ising materials that could be an alternative to polymers derived from petroleum [2]. There are two main major groups of its application. The first covers the special materials used in medicine * Corresponding author. E-mail address: kmm@ukw.edu.pl (K. Moraczewski). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Materials Chemistry and Physics journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/matchemphys http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2014.12.045 0254-0584/© 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Materials Chemistry and Physics xxx (2015) 1e10 Please cite this article in press as: K. Moraczewski, et al., Influence of DC plasma modification on the selected properties and the geometrical surface structure of polylactide prior to autocatalytic metallization, Materials Chemistry and Physics (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.matchemphys.2014.12.045