Grafting of poly(vinylidene fluoride) foils induced by swift heavy ions

The surface of the polymer was modified by the effects of different radiations. Foils of poly(vinylidene fluoride) were irradiated with different swift heavy ions such us: proton, alpha particles, chlorine and fission fragments. The active sites created by the irradiation of the polymer were used to graft different monomers likes: styrene, HEMA, MMA, AA and NIPAAm. The grafting yield was measured as a function of the ion fluence and its results interpreted using a theoretical model based on the target theory. The correlation between the maximum of the grafting yield versus the ion mass was discussed.