Yields on the formation of OH groups and the loss of CH groups along nuclear tracks in PADC films

• Effective track core radius for the loss of CH groups is obtained in PADC.
• The CH groups are lost in the center region of the track core with other functional groups.
• The molar absorption coefficient for OH of water absorbed in PADC is obtained.
• The density of OH groups in PADC is comparable to the damage density of ether bonds.

Modified structure along ion tracks in poly(allyl diglycol carbonate), PADC, films exposed to protons and heavy ions, He, C, Ne, Ar, Fe, and Xe, in air has been examined by means of FT-IR spectroscopy, covering the stopping power ranging from 10 to 12,000 keV/μm. The damage density for the loss of CH groups and the amount of formed OH groups along each tracks are estimated and compared to the previous results on the ether and the carbonate ester bonds. The CH groups are lost in the center region of the track core with other functional groups and the OH groups are created as new end-points of the polymer network. We obtained the molar absorption coefficient for OH of water absorbed in PADC films as 9.7 × 103 M−1 cm−1. It has been assumed that the coefficient is applicable to the OH groups on the polymer. The amount of OH groups are almost equivalent to the damage density of the ether bonds.