Polymers were grafted on aluminum surfaces in order to modify the chemical and physical properties of the interface. The properly cleaned and activated surface of the aluminum substrate was first "silanized" either with 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propylamine or allyltrimethoxysilane. The grafting was carried out following two methods: (i) by the reaction of preformed poly(methyl vinyl ketone) with the aminosilane-modified surface; and (ii) by polymerization of methyl vinyl ketone with the vinyl silane-modified surface. The modified aluminum surfaces were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The new surfaces were examined by contact-angle measurements, and determinations of the Lewis basicity. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.