Polymer Nanocomposites with Silver Nanoparticles Formed by Low-Energy Ion Implantation: Slow Positron Beam Spectroscopy Studies

Polymer nanocomposites formed by low-energy ion implantation were studied by means of positron annihilation spectroscopy with a variable-energy positron beam or slow positron beam spectroscopy. Silver ion implantation into polymethylmethacrylate (Ag:PMMA) and hybrid organic-inorganic ureasil (Ag:ureasil) was performed at different ion fluences with a constant energy of 30 keV and a current density of 1 μA/cm2 in order to prepare Ag nanoparticles in the near-surface region of polymer matrix. Contribution of Doppler broadening slow positron beam spectroscopy technique for understanding Ag nanoparticles formation in Ag:PMMA and Ag:ureasil nanocomposite films is demonstrated.