The work is devoted to the discussion of hypotheses that are put forward to explain the processes occurring during ion-plasma treatment of polyurethane. A carbonized layer forms on the surface of the polymer as a result of ion-plasma treatment. However this layer is not even. Wavy relief, the geometric features of which depend on the fluence (the number of ions entering the unit surface of the sample) and the energy of ions, is formed. It is shown that a simple explanation related to material heating and subsequent shrinkage does not allow explaining the cause of the phenomenon. The second hypothesis can be the pressure of the ion flow on the surface of the sample. It causes deformation and subsequent changes in the stress-strain state after the irradiation is stopped. Calculations show that this mechanism cannot explain the formation of the folded relief of the layer. A hypothesis, based on information about a significant material change, is expressed in the article. Polymer chains under ion-plasma treatment are broken into atoms. After striking ions move deep into the material causing the polymer to swell in the near-surface layer. This swelling can cause material to move close to the sample boundary and leads to the formation of a wavy surface.
Effect of ion-plasma treatment on the surface physic-chemical properties of materials based on polylactide and hydroxyapatite
