Ion metal synthesis in viscous organic matter

Abstract

The viscosity of the irradiated target as new parameter was introduced in ion implantation physics of organic matter. It was experimentally shown that using this parameter one enables to monitor the process of ion synthesis of thin granular impurity films. As an example, the results of high-dose implantation of Co+ and Ag+ ions in viscous epoxy experimenting stages of cure (polymerization) process are presented. It was established by TEM that the mean size, size distributions, form and crystalline structure of the synthesized metal particles depend on both ion beam parameters and viscosity of the epoxy target. The mechanisms of homogeneous nucleation and diffusive growth of metal particles in the low-viscosity epoxy in contrast to heterogeneous nucleation in solid polymers are discussed. The threshold implantation dose that is necessary for the formation of stable metal phase nucleation in a viscous medium was calculated by using the diffusion equation with a continuous Gauss-like source for the implanting impurity. It is shown that the specificity of epoxy polymerization influences the growth and crystalline structure of metal particles at intermediate stages of the epoxy cure process. The preliminary investigation of magnetic, optical and electrical properties of synthesized films is described as well.