ION IMPLANTATION FOR CONTROLLED FLUORINATION OF PLASTICS

ACRYLICS AND POLYCARBONATES ARE WIDELY USED AS AIRCRAFT WINDOWS AND WINDSHIELDS. THESE PLASTICS CRAZE AND CRACK WHEN EXPOSED TO LONG TERM SUNLIGHT AND ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS. SURFACE FLUORINATION IS KNOWN TO BE AN EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR PASSIVATING AND PROTECTING THESE PLASTICS. SPIRE CORPORATION PROPOSES TO USE THE ION IMPLANTATION PROCESS AS A CONTROLLED METHOD FOR INTRODUCING FLUORINE INTO THE SURFACE OF THESE PLASTICS. THE FLUENCE OF THE FLUORINE IONS AND THEIR ENERGY WILL BE VARIED IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE OPTIMUM SURFACE ENHANCEMENT. THE PERFORMANCE OF THE IMPLANTED SURFACE WILL BE EVALUATED THROUGH EXPOSURE TO ULTRA-VILOT RICH ILLUMINATION, OZONE, HUMIDITY AND VARIOUS SOLVENTS. OTHER TESTS WILL BE PERFORMED TO MEASURE THE IMPROVED MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE SURFACE SUCH AS HARDNESS, IMPACT RESISTANCE (RAIN EROSION), STRESS CRAZING AND CRAKING. THE OPTICAL TRANSPARENCY OF THE SURFACE IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE DEGRADED AS A RESULT OF THE ION IMPLANTATION PROCESS.