High electronic excitation induced modifications by 100Â MeV O7+ and 150Â MeV Ni11+ ions in Makrofol KG polycarbonate film

Makrofol-KG polycarbonate (M-KG PC) films are irradiated with 150 MeV Ni11+ and 100 MeV O7+ ion beams at various fluences ranging from 1 × 1011 to 3 × 1012 ions/cm2. We have investigated the effect of irradiation parameters such as energy and ions fluence on optical, structural and chemical properties of the studied polymer, respectively. UV-Visible, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectral studies have been employed in the present investigation. UV-Visible spectra exhibit a shift towards the higher wavelength regime after irradiation. This shift clearly reflects decrease in optical band gap after irradiation. The FTIR spectrum shows a decrease in intensity of the typical bands whereas the formation of new bands indicates the degradation of the polymer after irradiation. The XRD pattern of M-KG PC shows the decreasing intensity of peak positions with increase in ions fluence, which suggests loss of crystallinity of the films due to irradiation. Observed results indicate the formation of disordered system in the irradiated films. Magnitude of effect of irradiation is greater in case of 150 MeV Ni11+ rather than 100 MeV O7+ ions due to high electronic energy loss of Ni11+ ions in M-KG PC. The results can be correlated on the basis of linear energy transfer (LET) of the irradiated ions.