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Enhancement of electrical conductivity of ion-implanted polymer films

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:6773922

The electrical conductivity of ion-implanted films of Nylon 66, Polypropylene (PP), Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (Teflon) and mainly Poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) was determined by DC measurements at voltages up to 4500 V and compared with the corresponding values of pristine films. Measurements were made at 21/sup 0/C +/- 1/sup 0/C and 65 +/- 2% RH. The electrical conductivity of PET films implanted with F/sup +/, Ar/sup +/, or As/sup +/ ions at energies of 50 keV increases by seven orders of magnitude as the fluence increases from 1 x 10/sup 18/ to 1 x 10/sup 20/ ions/m/sup 2/. The conductivity of films implanted with As/sup +/ was approximately one order greater than those implanted with Ar/sup +/, which in turn was approximately one-half order greater than those implanted with F/sup +/. The conductivity of the most conductive film approx.1 S/m) was almost 14 orders of magnitude greater than the pristine PET film. Except for the three PET samples implanted at fluences near 1 x 10/sup 20/ ions/m/sup 2/ with F/sup +/, Ar/sup +/, and As/sup +/ ions, all implanted films were ohmic up to an electric field strength of 600 kV/m. The temperature dependence of the conductivity of the three PET films implanted near a fluence of 1 x 10/sup 20/ ions/m/sup 2/ was measured over the range of 80 K < T < 300 K.

Research Organization:
North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh (USA)
OSTI ID:
6773922
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English