Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) have been rapidly synthesized on the surface of low-cost commercial chlorinated polymers (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl chloride), which contains iron compounds, under the action of a high power ion beam at room temperature. Organic (Fe(C5H5)(2)) and inorganic (FeCl3 center dot 6H(2)O (sic) Fe(NO3)(3)center dot 9H(2)O) iron compounds were used as catalytic additions. SEM, TEM and Raman spectroscopy were used to investigate the morphologies and structure of irradiated polymers. CNFs had a most probable diameter in the range 50-90 nm and a maximum length of up to 10 mu m. The maximum CNFs growth rate was estimated as 160 mu m/mu s. A possible growth mechanism for CNFs is discussed. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.