Li+ grafting of ion irradiated polyethylene

Foils of oriented polyethylene (PE) were irradiated with 63 keV Ar+ and 155 keV Xe+ ions to different fluences at room temperature and then doped from water solution of LiCl. The as irradiated and irradiated plus doped samples were examined by IR, EPR and neutron depth profiling (NDP) technique. The sheet resistance was also measured by the standard two points method. After Li salt doping of ion modified layer of PE, a reaction between degraded macromolecules and Li occur and thus a new chemical structure C-Li+ is formed. Owing to the presence of these cations on the polymer chain, the irradiated plus doped layer exhibits higher electric conductivity compared to as-irradiated ones.