Stiffness Enhancement of Polymeric Materials Through Ion-Beam Implantation

We show that. ion-beam implantation is a powerful tool to enhance the stiffness of polymeric materials, such as polyimide and polyester membranes. For example, for the case where, nitrogen ions of 120 keV are implanted into Polyester membranes, the stiffness of the surface increases, by almost six times compared to that of the normal poly-ester. Other ion sources, such as argon and xenon, are also effective for increasing the stiffness of polymeric materials. A higher ion-beam energy causes a higher stiffness of the polymers. We point out that polymer membranes with an enhanced stiffness of their surface can be applied to diaphragms, of micro-speakers.