MODIFICATION IN MICROSTRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF POLYMERS BY 10 keV ELECTRON BEAM

Abstract

The effect of UV–IR radiation and electron on polymers has been widely studied. However, independent irradiation effects in different energy domain of electron are of greater interest. We have installed 10 keV electron beam which has zero background of UV–IR using solenoid guided electron beam upto 100 nA/cm2. The effect of electron beam changes the microstructure upto a few microns of polymers, which results in the variation in the physical, chemical, and gas permeation properties. The polymer membrane of 25 μm is exposed to an electron beam with 50 μm grid structure on the top. The RGA spectra of polymers during the irradiation were recorded. The optical micrograph shows a depression on the surface due to electron impact and scission of the polymer chains. The gas permeation also gets modified in such a way that permeation rate was higher from the irradiation side.