Surface modification of polymers and carbon-based materials by ion implantation and oxidative conversion

A surface modification process for forming a continuous, oxide-enriched surface layer on a solid substrate, said process comprising:

• (a) ion implantation of the solid substrate comprising bombardment of said substrate with at least one ion species selected from the group comprising ions of metal and semi-metal elements capable of forming oxides, to form an upper implanted layer of the substrate containing at least one implanted element selected from said metal and semi-metal elements, a first graded transition being formed between the implanted layer and underlying substrate;
• and
• (b) oxidative conversion, by an active oxygen species, of at least an upper portion of said implanted layer, said oxidative conversion comprising etching by said active oxygen species of material from said implanted layer and oxidation by said active oxygen species of said implanted elements in at least said upper portion of said implanted layer to form said continuous, oxide-enriched surface layer containing a protective compound formed by combination of at least one of said implanted elements with oxygen,
• said solid substrate being selected from the group comprising organic polymers, metallized polymer films, graphite and carbon fiber reinforced composite of carbon based materials, said polymers and polymer films containing carbon and hydrogen;
• said continuous, oxide-enriched surface layer having an erosion yield on the order of or less than about 10.sup.-26 g/atom of atomic oxygen when exposed to said atomic oxygen having kinetic energy of from about 1 eV to about 5.3 eV.