To describe the role of electronic energy loss (dE/dX)e for chemical modification of polyimide (PI), multi layer stacks (corresponding to different dE/dX) were irradiated by different swift heavy ions (1.158 GeV ^56Fe and 1.755 GeV ^136Xe) under vacuum and at room temperature at the irradiation terminal of HIRFL. Chemical changes of modified PI films were studied by Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectra measured with a Perkin Elmer Soectrum GX in a transmission mode.