Buckling of polymeric surface by electron irradiation

Abstract

In this paper, buckling of polymeric surfaces using low energy electron irradiation process was explored and its mechanism explained. Four polymers, which were Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), and Polyethylene (PE), were irradiated to observe the possibility of surface buckling using only the irradiation process. It was discovered that only the scissioning polymers (PMMA and PP) could be successfully buckled at the surface. PMMA, the more readily scissioning polymer of the two tested, was irradiated at various irradiation conditions. When the current density or the heating rate was increased, it was found that the height of the buckling wrinkles fabricated increased due to the elastic property of the polymer, while the width of the wrinkles increased due to the viscous property of the polymer. It was also found that when the irradiation duration was increased, the characteristics of the fabricated buckling wrinkles changed initially

however, beyond receiving a certain radiation dose, a greater irradiation duration did not significantly alter the characteristics due to the scissioning rate of PMMA becoming insignificant after receiving the pre-described dose.