Abstract
In this study, composite films were prepared by incorporating the copper nanoparticles in the insulating polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) polymer matrix by the solution casting method. These films were irradiated with 120 MeV Si10+ ions at a fluence of 1×1012 ions/cm2. The radiation-induced changes in dielectric, structural and thermal properties of PMMA/Cu nanocomposites were studied using the impedance/gain phase-analyzer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infra red (FTIR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) techniques. The dielectric properties were observed to enhance with increase in metal nanoparticles’ concentration as well as with irradiation fluence. This may be due to the metal/polymer bonding and conversion of the polymeric structure into the hydrogen-depleted carbon network. Crystallite size and crystallinity of pristine and irradiated samples are observed to increase after irradiation as revealed from the XRD analysis. High-energy ion beam irradiation of the semicrystalline polymer nanocomposite changes its T g behavior as observed from the DSC analysis which is corroborated with XRD results. This might be attributed to the rupture of some polymeric bonds, which is also corroborated with the FTIR spectroscopic analysis.
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