SPUTTER ETCHING OF POLYMER FIBERS

Fibres of polyamide, polyester and an aromatic polyamide (Kevlar) have been subjected to Ar+ ion bombardment erosion in an ion accelerator or an rf discharge system. In the case of the former two polymers, cones are observed to develop upon the fibre surface and these are associated with etch protection resulting from the presence of particles of titanium dioxide pigment. This effect is absent in the third, unpigmented, fibre. In all three cases ripple structures with a habit transverse to the fibre axes and of wavelength of approximately 1000 Å are gradually developed during ion bombardment. It is suggested that this morphology results from an underlying periodicity of the fibre structure either inherent in the fibre structure or induced by the irradiation. © 1980 Pergamon Press Ltd/Printed in Great Britain.