On-line and post irradiation analysis of swift heavy ion induced modification of PMMA (polymethyl-methacrylate)

The present work is part of a research program studying the swift heavy ion induced modification of aliphatic polymers with some comparable side groups, here polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA). This paper presents a study on Fourier-transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), residual gas analysis (RGA), and Ultraviolet–Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy of the transformations of a PMMA film under gold (Au) and uranium (U) ion irradiation in the MeV/u range in vacuum to fluences up to 3 × 1011 ions per cm2. The results show a general ion induced degradation of the polymer, with release of volatile fragments, scission of side chains and polymeric backbone, formation of conjugated double bonds, and the resulting increased absorption of the UV part in the UV–Vis spectral region. A molecular scission mechanism which explains the main degradation products is proposed.