Ion-induced Processes in Polymer Composite Materials: Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy in Combination with UV-Vis Absorption and Raman Spectroscopy.

Application of positron annihilation spectroscopy using a variable-energy slow positron beam (VESPB) as a key experimental tool to understand ion-induced processes and defect structures in a number of polymer composite materials important for a practical use is demonstrated. The results concerning 40 keV B+ implanted polymethylmethacrylate (B:PMMA) and 30 keV Ag+ implanted PMMA (Ag:PMMA), and organic-inorganic ureasil composite (Ag:ureasil) are discussed. Utilized VESPB techniques allow to confirm carbonization of ion-irradiated B:PMMA, formation of carbon-shell Ag-core nanoparticles in Ag:PMMA and evolution in size of Ag nanoparticles in Ag:ureasil, which was revealed by means of UV-Vis absorption and Raman spectroscopy measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]