Hydrophilicity Improvement of Polymer Surfaces Induced by Simultaneous Nuclear Transmutation and Oxidation Effects Using High-Energy and Low-Fluence Helium Ion Beam Irradiation.

ABSTRACT: Two commodity polymers, polystyrene (PS) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), were irradiated by high-energy He ion beams at low fluence to examine the wettability changes at different fluences. The water contact angles of the PS and HDPE surfaces were reduced from 78.3° to 46.7° and 81.5° to 58.5°, respectively, upon increasing the fluence from 0 to 1 × 1013 He2+/cm2 for irradiation durations ≤4 min. Surface analyses were performed to investigate these wettability changes. Surface texture evaluations via scanning electron and atomic force microscopies indicated non-remarkable changes by irradiation. However, the chemical structures of the irradiated polymer surfaces were notable. The high-energy He ions induced nuclear transmutation of C to N, leading to C-N bond formation in the polymer

SUBMITTER: Kim JW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7761050 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature