High fluence irradiation effect on the ion beam graft polymerization method

Radiation graft polymerization method has been applied to make many industrial product. Ion beam graft polymerization method has been developed by Betz and many researchers, and we have also developed the method with proton whose energy is below a few MeV. Using the method, the substrate, e.g. polyethylene film, is graft-polymerized and has the graft chains near the surface. To conduct the method for some times, the structure of graft chains near the surface can be formed. When we want to produce the graft chains inside of the substrate, the graft chains near the surface are unnecessary. One of our objectives is to produce a functional polymer with a structure in the film. When the sample is irradiated in sufficiently high fluence, the sample can’t be graft-polymerized in the next irradiation. Comparing the density of radicals and the number of double bond with the degree of grafting, the reason why formation of a part not grafted in high fluence irradiation was discussed. Because the number of the double bond and the allyl radicals in PE are increased for high fluence irradiation, the number of the alkyl radical as a grafting point is decreased. Moreover, the alkyl radical is not produced in following irradiation since existence of double bond and peroxy radical.