E. Ferain et R. Legras, HEAVY-ION TRACKS IN POLYCARBONATE - COMPARISON WITH A HEAVY-ION IRRADIATED MODEL-COMPOUND (DIPHENYL CARBONATE), Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section B, Beam interactions with materials and atoms, 82(4), 1993, pp. 539-548
The chemical modifications induced by energetic heavy ion irradiation
of polycarbonate (PC) film are determined by GPC, HPLC, ESR, TGA, IR a
nd UV spectrophotometry. The main results of the irradiation are creat
ion of radicals, chain scission, cross-linking and appearance of new c
hemical groups in the main polymer chain. As far as the creation of ne
w groups is concerned, they are determined by means of a model compoun
d of PC: the diphenyl carbonate (DPC). The following compounds are ide
ntified after energetic heavy ion irradiation of DPC: salicylic acid,
phenol, 4,4'-biphenol, 2,4'-biphenol, 2,2'-biphenol, 4-phenoxyphenol,
2-phenoxyphenol, phenyl ether, phenyl benzoate, phenyl salicylate, 2-p
henylphenol and 2-phenoxyphenyl benzoate. A similarity between the hea
vy ion irradiation and a heat treatment has also been established with
DPC. On the basis of these results, we try to give an explanation of
the preferential attack along the tracks of the irradiated film. Also,
an explanation of the well-known beneficial effect of an UV expositio
n of the irradiated film on the selectivity of this preferential chemi
cal attack is suggested.