INTERACTION OF MEV IONS AND VUV PHOTONS WITH POLYMERS AND HIGH MOLECULAR HYDROCARBONS

Organic solids such as polymethylene, polyethylene, polyoxymethylene, aliphatic and cyclic paraffins, naphthalene, anthracene and kerogen were irradiated at 77 K with 10-20 MeV cyclotron ions (p, He-3) and up to 10 eV photons. The products were analysed by quadrupole mass spectrometry (QMS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Raman spectroscopy and gas chromatography (GC). Besides radiolytic fragmentation, also synthesis of new and complex compounds was observed as a consequence of hot carbon chemistry. Vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) irradiation proved to be less effective in the buildup of new structures than MeV ions, due to its lower linear energy transfer.