ANALYSIS OF ELECTRON-IRRADIATED POLY-ETHE R ETHER KETONE BY X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON-SPECTROSCOPY

Organic polymers used in atomic power plants or space are damaged by i onizing irradiation. Radicals produced by irradiation cause oxidation, chain scission and crosslinking, all of which lead to degradation of the material. In this paper, the surface of electron-irradiated poly-e ther ether ketone (PEEK) was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectrosco py (XPS). The irradiation in air was found to oxidize the PEEK surface producing carboxyl groups, the content of which dependant on the dose . Carboxyl groups were not produced in helium gas. Quantitative spectr al analysis indicated that the aromatic structure might be decomposed. Some comparison was made between the semicrystalline and amorphous sa mples. The oxygen content resulting from irradiation, of semicrystalli ne PEEK increased more than that of amorphous PEEK.