Study of surface etching of polycarbonate by environmentally friendly alkaline potassium permanganate system

[Display omitted] •Under KMnO4-NaOH alkaline conditions, PC hydrolyzes and cooperates with oxidants to promote etching.•The adhesive strength after alkaline treatment meets industry standards and facilitates the practical application of copper-plated parts.•Compared with acid treatment, strong oxidant and heavy metal pollution can be reduced, making it cheaper and more environmentally friendly. This study examined the surface etching of polycarbonate (PC) using an environmentally friendly etching technique and an alkaline potassium permanganate system. On the surface morphology and roughness, the impacts of swelling circumstances, KMnO4-NaOH concentration, etching temperature, and time were examined. The PC substrate's average surface roughness (Ra) was enhanced by the etching process from 4 nm to 253 nm. The peel strength between the chemically coated copper film and the PC substrate also reached 0.91 KN/m. Using contact angle, Fourier transforms infrared spectrum (FT-IR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the surface chemical structure of the PC substrate was compared before and after treatment. The PC surface turned hydrophilic after the etching process, and the contact angle dropped from 97.2° to 33.2°. The etching process increased the PC surface's roughness and hydrophilicity, which enhanced the adhesion strength between the polycarbonate (PC) substrate and the chemically coated copper film, according to FT-IR absorption spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and XPS analysis.