Swift heavy ion irradiation-induced structural and conformational changes in polypyrrole nanofibers

• Published in: Radiation effects and defects in solids Vol. 166; no. 8-9; pp. 598 - 605
• Main Authors: Banerjee, Somik, Kumar, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 01.08.2011; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Amorphization; Beams (radiation); Benzenoids; Cationic; Ions; Irradiation; micro-Raman spectroscopy; Nanofibers; Phase transitions; Polymerization; polypyrrole nanofibres; Polypyrroles; Radiation; Solids; Spectrum analysis; swift heavy ions; TEM; XRD
• ISSN: 1042-0150; 1029-4953
• DOI: 10.1080/10420150.2010.542560

In the present paper, we report a detailed analysis of the fluence-dependent conformational and structural changes induced in the polypyrrole nanofibers (PPy NFs) upon swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation. PPy NFs, synthesized using a cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-assisted micellar polymerization technique, have been irradiated with 90 MeV O 7+ ions at normal beam incidence with fluence varying from 3×10 10 to 1×10 12  ions/cm 2 using a 15UD Pelletron accelerator under ultra-high vacuum. X-ray diffraction studies reveal a decrease in the domain length and an increase in the strain upon SHI irradiation. A decrease in the integral intensity upon SHI irradiation indicates the amorphization of the material. Micro-Raman (μR) studies confirm amorphization of the PPy NFs and also show that the PPy NFs get de-doped upon SHI irradiation. μR spectroscopy also reveals a benzenoid to quinoid transition in the PPy chain upon SHI irradiation.