[en] Photosensitization of polymer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bombarded with swift heavy ions (Xe) was studied. Ultraviolet (UV)- and γ-irradiation were used for sensitization. Infrared spectroscopy (IR) and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used to study the radiolysis products in latent tracks (directly in the sample or in the etching solution). It was found that the exposure of the sample to ultraviolet light results in the transformation of the radiolysis products formed in the tracks into terephthalic acid. Surface defects, detected by AFM, were found to correspond to tracks; their form (cavities and hillocks) and size changing reflect the changing of latent track state. It was found that UV irradiation destroyed the cross-linked regions in the tracks. This process (photodecomposition) was shown to be the key stage of the UV sensitization and the main cause of etching rate increase. The γ-irradiation effect on track etching was found to be almost the same

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[en] Tracks of swift heavy ions (Xe and Bi) at the surface of polymer (PET) were studied using AFM and surface defects--cavities (for Xe) and hillocks with cavities on its top (for Bi) were found. Thermal behavior of these Bi-irradiated samples (during annealing from 70 deg. C to 180 deg. C) was investigated. It was found that low-temperature annealing does not change the shape of surface defects, while high-temperature annealing leads to slow disappearance of these defects. Irradiation of a stack of ultra-thin PET films by fission fragments was carried out and some sheets were then investigated separately. Two types of defects, corresponding to two main types of incident fragments (according to average energy distribution) were found. The deep structure of a track was studied and the ranges for two types of fragments were estimated. The increase of area of destruction was found at the depth 10-12 μm, which may be associated with changing of mechanism of interaction of passing particle with polymer and the dominant role of nuclear interaction. The obtained results are supported by a model calculation

[en] The influence of heat treatment (85-180 deg. C) on latent tracks (LTs) in poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films irradiated by Xe ions with energy of 1 MeV/nucleon was studied. The kinetics of the alkaline etching (layer-by-layer technique) was investigated. Thermal annealing rises the time of through-pore formation. The etching of through pores, investigated by Hagen-Poiseuille and atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods, was found to be nonlinear: steps were discovered at the etching diagram. They were associated with earlier detected zones of high chemical stability around the track (with the diameters of approximately 10 and 20 nm). Using the AFM method an appearance of surface craters after the irradiation was found. After the annealing the shape of these defects changed to the hillock form. From the analysis of the Raman and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra it is supposed that the polymer structure in the LT area was changed towards carbonaceous phase with graphite-like inclusions, which are evolving under the annealing and affecting the sequential etching process

[en] Properties of polyimide irradiated by high-energy ions of Ar (the energy 40 MeV) and Kr (the energy 210 MeV) were investigated. It was found that as a result of high energy ions irradiation destruction of imide rings with formation of amide groups and intermolecular bonds takes place. The dichroism of bands in polyimide spectra and also dependence of chemical resistance on surface density of polymer irradiation were studied. (author). 22 refs, 2 figs, 1 tab

[en] The results of investigations of pores formation process in polyimide films after their irradiation by argon, krypton and wolfram high energy ions with the further treatment in concentrated hydrogen peroxide are presented. The size of the destruction zone and the zone of formation of a changed polymer structure as well as chemical resistance increasing are defined. The rate of etching of polymer along tracks and etching selectivity are determined. A method of preparing the polyimide track membranes with cylindrical or conic forms of pores is shown. (author). 14 refs, 5 figs, 1 tab

[en] The processes of high-energy ions etching in polyimide (PI) were studied. Comparison between characteristics of etchant with various compositions was made. A new etchant (concentrated hydrogen peroxide) with high selectivity and high etching rate was suggested. The etchant is accessible and ecologically clean. PI track membranes for ultra- and micro-filtration were created. (author). 12 refs, 1 fig., 2 tabs

[en] The method of heavy high-energy ions latent tracks structure in polymers investigations have been proposed. This method includes the irradiated polymer preliminary treatment with water, then with week alkali solution for different track area visualization and investigation. The products of polyethylene terephthalate radiolysis from the track areas were investigated by means of inverse-phase chromatography. Atomic-force microscopy was used for surface change of initial and developed polymer investigation. It was shown that the latent track has complicated structure and consists of different areas. For Xe-irradiated PET-sample 3 areas (with diameters 7, 17 and 50-150 nm) were found. Such track structure allows to explain the discrepancy between the data, previously obtained by using different methods

[en] The development of two types of X-ray microscopy applying to the organic objects investigation (biological samples and polymer matrix) is reported. Polymer track membranes were investigated using Schwarzchild X-ray microscope with 20 nm wavelength. Pore diameters down to 0.2 μm were clearly imaged. Contact X-ray microscopy at 0.229 nm wavelength was used to obtain clear images of inner structure of native biological samples. High contrast together with the high resolution (about 2-3 μm) allowed us to use this method for quantitative analysis of demineralization process taking place in the skeleton of amphibious after several weeks of weightlessness on biosputnik board