Characterisation of Ni+ implanted PEEK, PET and PI

Polyimide (PI), polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) were implanted with 40 keV Ni+ ions at room temperature at fluences ranging from 1.0 × 1016 to 1.5 × 1017 ions cm−2 and with ion current density varying between 4 and 10 μA cm−2. The depth profiles of the implanted Ni atoms determined by the RBS technique were compared with those predicted by the SRIM and TRIDYN codes. Hydrogen depletion as a function of the ion fluence was determined by the ERDA technique, and the compositional and structural changes of the polymers were characterised by the UV-vis and XPS methods. The implanted profiles differed significantly from those predicted by the SRIM code while the lower fluences were satisfactorily described by the TRIDYN simulation. A significant hydrogen release from the polymer surface layer was observed along with significant changes in the surface layer composition. The UV-vis results indicated an increase in the concentration and conjugation of double bonds.