Fabrication of Nanostructured Carbon on the Surface of Commercial Polymers Using a High-Energy Ion Beam

The impact of a nanosecond high-energy ion beam (HEIB) on thin films of commercial chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) containing catalytic additives (inorganic iron salts) is studied. Depending on the type of polymer, the type of additive, and the irradiation mode used, HEIB treatment results in the formation of either layers of carbon nanofibers or a carbon foam on the polymer surface. The most probable diameters of the carbon nanofibers are 70 and 40 nm for CPVC and PVA, respectively. The mechanism explaining the effect of the catalytic additive on the formation of nanostructured carbon on the surface of the considered polymers is discussed.