The development of novel PP textiles requires materials of which the surface has well defined hydrophilic properties, for instance, by the use of additives before extrusion and drawing. The feasibility of static secondary ion mass spectrometry (S-SIMS) to provide detailed information on the molecular surface composition of materials in the form of 30 mu m thick films has been explored. Extensive charge build-up during S-SIMS analysis prevents direct characterisation of such materials. Several methods have been used to circumvent the problem. Specifically, deposition of gold over the entire surface and pressing a slot grid into the material allow the commercial hydrophilic additive in PP to be detected. While the slot grid preserves the pristine surface composition, mass spectra from gold-coated samples reflect the occurrence of redistribution artefacts. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.