Chemical alteration of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) Teflon induced by exposure to vacuum ultraviolet radiation and comparison with exposure to hyperthermal atomic oxygen

The chemical alteration of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) Teflon by vacuum ultraviolet radiation (VUV) (115–400 nm) has been examined with X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The initial F/C atom ratio of 1.98 decreases to 1.65 after a 2‐h exposure. The F/C atom ratio is further reduced to a steady‐state value of 1.60 after a 74‐h exposure. The high‐resolution XPS C1s data indicate that new chemical states of carbon form as F is removed and that the relative amounts of these states depend on the F content of the near‐surface region. The states are most likely due to C bonded only to one F atom, C bonded only to other C atoms, and C that has lost a pair of electrons through the emission of F^?. The exposure of the VUV‐damaged surface to research‐grade O₂ results in the chemisorption of a very small amount of O, and this indicates that large quantities of reactive sites are not formed during the chemical erosion by VUV. Further exposure to VUV removes this chemisorbed oxygen. A comparison of the XPS data indicates that the mechanisms of chemical alteration by VUV radiation and hyperthermal (～5 eV) atomic oxygen are different, as expected, because the excitation sources are quite different. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 552–561, 2005     

AM1 study of photoelectron spectra

A correlation was found between the group dipole moments of substituents determined from the dipole moments of ethylene derivatives and the second ionization potentials of allene derivatives corresponding to the -MO of the C()-C() bond. It was shown that the concept of the effect of the substituent field cannot completely explain the observed phenomena, and the energies of the second ionic states of bromoallene and alkoxyallenes are lowered because of the interaction between nonbonded fragments through the systems of the compounds. It has been found that, in terms of orbital approximation, this interaction causes electronic destabilization of theanti-planar (trans) conformers of methoxyallene and methyl vinyl ether compared to theirsin-planar (cis) forms.For Part 5, see Ref. 1.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 48–54, January, 1995.     

X-ray and UV photoelectron spectroscopy of Ag nanoclusters

The main purpose of the present work is to analyze a series of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) with different size or ligand functionalization by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and to identify the differences in the band-shape and energy peak position of photoemission spectra due to the particle dimension. A transmission electron microscopy characterization was performed, to verify the consistency of the results. Three types of samples were prepared starting from AgNO₃ water solution and adding different capping agents. In the first two cases, the formation of NPs was promoted by the reduction of silver ions Ag⁺¹ to metallic Ag⁰ through the addition of sodium borohydride, whereas in the last case, it was triggered by the exposure to UV light. Depending on the size of the NPs, a different physical behavior can be recognized. NPs with diameter of about 5 nm are characterized by the phenomenon of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). The other type of samples having a diameter of about 1.5 nm presents discrete energy levels instead of electronic bands, and in this case, a typical fluorescence phenomenon can be observed. In the latter case, we can refer to such systems as nanoclusters. The XPS analyses were focused on the Ag 3D spectra looking for the possible shifts of the Ag doublet as a function of the particles size. The ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy with He II source was used for the investigation of possible changes in the valence band.     

Characterization of the surface content,hydrolysis ratio,and condensation degree of polyalkoxysiloxane segregated to the surface of a polyurethane crosslinked film by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy

We report, using an electron spectrometer equipped with both monochromatized Al Kα and unmonochromatized Mg Kα sources, the quantitative characterization of the surface content, hydrolysis ratio, and condensation degree of polyalkoxysiloxane segregated to the surface of a polyurethane crosslinked film consisting of acryl polyol, polyisocyanate, and polyalkoxysiloxane. Unmonochromatized Mg Kα X‐ray irradiation extremely accelerated the decomposition of alkoxy groups of polyalkoxysiloxane. The surface content and hydrolysis ratio were determined from C 1s, Si 2p, and N 1s spectral intensities measured with monochromatized Al Kα X rays after decomposition by unmonochromatized Mg Kα X‐ray irradiation. The condensation degree was determined by the kinetic energy of the silicon KLL Auger electron after decomposition. We applied the established characterization method for a polyurethane film containing polyalkoxysiloxane. After 20 days, the surface content of polyalkoxysiloxane was greater than 60 wt %, the hydrolysis ratio ranged from 0.8 to 0.95, and the higher hydrolysis ratio resulted in a larger condensation degree. The hydrophilicity of the film surface became higher as the surface content and hydrolysis ratio increased, and the crack density became higher as the condensation degree increased. A method for characterizing the practical properties of coating film surfaces containing polyalkoxysiloxane was established. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2917–2926, 2002     

Electronic structure of ZrCuSiAs and ZrCuSiP by X-ray photoelectron and absorption spectroscopy

The electronic structures of quaternary pnictides ZrCuSiPn (Pn=P, As) were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES). Shifts in the core-line XPS and the XANES spectra indicate that the Zr and Cu atoms are cationic, whereas the Si and Pn atoms are anionic, consistent with expectations from simple bonding models. The Cu 2p XPS and Cu L-edge XANES spectra support the presence of Cu¹⁺. The small magnitudes of the energy shifts in the XPS spectra suggest significant covalent character in the Zr-Si, Zr-Pn, and Cu-Pn bonds. On progressing from ZrCuSiP to ZrCuSiAs, the Si atoms remain largely unaffected, as indicated by the absence of shifts in the Si 2p_3/2 binding energy and the Si L-edge absorption energy, while the charge transfer from metal to Pn atoms becomes less pronounced, as indicated by shifts in the Cu K-edge and Zr K, L-edge absorption energies. The transition from two-dimensional character in LaNiAsO to three-dimensional character in ZrCuSiAs proceeds through the development of Si-Si bonds within the [ZrSi] layer and Zr-As bonds between the [ZrSi] and [CuAs] layers.     

Interpretation of photoelectron spectra within the framework of the AM1 semiempirical method. 2. Pyridines

Analysis of the orbital structure of isomeric pyridines carried out using photoelectron spectroscopy and the AM1 (GF) method showed that this structure is independent of the nature of the substituent at C ²⁽⁶⁾ and C ³⁽⁵⁾ : <n<. All the possible sequences of the highest occupied MO of different symmetry (, ) are realized for 4-substituted pyridines.For previous communication, see [1].Irkutsk Institute of Organic Chemistry, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk 664033. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 872–880, April, 1992.     

Hard and soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for selective probing of surface and bulk chemical compositions in a perovskite-type Ni catalyst

Combined chemical analyses of both the surface and bulk of industrial catalysts is a significant challenge, because all microanalysis methods reveal either the surface or the bulk properties but not both. We demonstrate the combined use of hard and soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) as a powerful, practical, and nondestructive tool to quantitatively analyze the chemical composition at the surfaces (~1 nm) and subsurfaces/bulk (~10 nm) for catalysts. The surface-bulk differentiation is achieved via an exchangeable anode system, where the Al (Kα, 1486.6 eV) and Cr (Kα, 5414.7 eV) for the XPS and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) analyses, respectively, are interchanged without affecting the X-ray beam position on the sample. As an archetypical catalyst, we study the perovskite-type material La_0.30Sr_0.55Ti_0.95Ni_0.05O_3-δ (LSTNO), which has differing chemical compositions at the surface and subsurface after reduction and oxidation reactions. We look at the relative changes in surface composition, which minimizes the error stemming from the differing relative sensitivity factors in the oxidized and reduced states. The HAXPES-XPS analysis indirectly confirms the well-known exsolution and formation of Ni nanoparticles on the surface upon reduction though following changes of Ni concentration at the surface. However, the XPS-HAXPES analysis demonstrates an increase in not only the Ni but also the Sr, which corroborates the reorganization within the perovskite lattice upon reduction. The XPS-measured intensities decrease for all the accessible peaks (La 3d, Sr 3d, lattice O 1s, and Ti 2p), which is attributed to the photon diffusion by the surface Ni nanoparticles.     

Conductivity,morphology, interfacial chemistry,and stability of poly(3,4‐ethylene dioxythiophene)–poly(styrene sulfonate): A photoelectron spectroscopy study

X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been used to characterize poly(3,4‐ethylene dioxythiophene)–poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDT/PSS), one of the most common electrically conducting organic polymers. A correlation has been established between the composition, morphology, and polymerization mechanism, on the one hand, and the electric conductivity of PEDT/PSS, on the other hand. XPS has been used to identify interfacial reactions occurring at the polymer‐on‐ITO and polymer‐on‐glass interfaces, as well as chemical changes within the polymer blend induced by electrical stress and exposure to ultraviolet light. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 2561–2583, 2003     

Intrinsic redox states of polyaniline studied by high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

High-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) measurements of the various intrinsic redox states of polyaniline (PANI), using a monochromatized Al—Kα source, were carried out. The presence of the imine, amine and positively charged nitrogen species corresponding to a particular intrinsic redox state and protonation level of the polymer was resolved quantitatively and unambiguously. The result confirmed the peak assignments of former XPS core-level studies using the lower resolution non-monochromatized Mg—Kα X-ray source. Thus, the high-resolution XPS using a monochromatized Al—Kα X-ray source is a truly unique tool for the convenient and quantitative analysis of the various intrinsic redox states of PANI. Received: 16 May 2000/Accepted: 29 August 2000     

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of neodymium niobate and tantalate precursors and thin films

Neodymium niobate NdNbO₄ (NNO) and tantalate NdTaO₄ (NTO) thin films (~100 nm) were prepared by sol-gel/spin-coating process on Al₂O₃ substrate with LaNbO₄/PbZrO₃ interlayer and annealing at 1000°C. Surface chemistry was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The core-level XPS studies of sol-gel NNO and NTO were performed for the first time. The binding energy differences Δ(O―Nb) and Δ(O―Ta) were used to characterize average energies of Nb―O bonding in NNO (322.9 eV) and Ta―O bonding in NTO (504.2 eV). The XPS demonstrated single valence state of Nd (Nd³⁺) in precursors. Nd concentration (at. %) decreases from 22% in precursors to 7% in films considering the substrate contains C, Al, Si, Pb, and Zr elements (37%) at Nb or Ta (5%) and O (51%). The X-ray diffraction analyses verified formation of the monoclinic (M-NdNbO₄ or M′-NdTaO₄), orthorhombic (O-NdNbO₄) and tetragonal (T-NdTaO₄) phases in precursors and films. Single valence state of Nd³⁺ was confirmed in these films designed for the application in environmental electrolytic thin film devices.     

Relativistic and non-relativistic local-density functional, benchmark results and investigation on the dimers

Using two spinor minimax method combined with finite element methods accompanied with extrapolation and counterpoise techniques enable us to obtain relativistic highly accurate results for two atomic molecules. Like in our previous work for the (Hartree-) Dirac–Fock–Slater (DFS) functional we investigate in this work the density functional approximations of the relativistic and non-relativistic local-density functional, presenting highly accurate benchmark results of chemical properties on the dimers of the group 11 (Ib) of the periodic table of elements. The comparison with experimental values and literature’s results shows that DFS is better behaved than the other two local functionals.     

Ion scattering and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of copper overlayers vacuum deposited onto mercaptohexadecanoic acid self-assembled monolayers

Metal overlayers deposited in vacuum onto self-assembled monolayer (SAM) systems serve as models for more complex metalized polymers. Metals (M) deposited onto SAMs with different organic functional end groups exhibit a wide range of behavior, ranging from strong chemical interactions with the end group to complete penetration of the metal through the SAM. In this work, we have characterized the interactions of Cu with the ---COOH of mercaptohexadecanoic acid (MHA, HOOC(CH₂)₁₅SH) SAMs self assembled on gold films by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to examine the chemical interactions, and a combination of XPS and ion scattering spectroscopy (ISS) to deduce the growth mode and penetration rate of the deposited Cu. We found that submonolayer amounts of Cu react with HOOC, whereas the rest of the Cu remains metallic and penetrates beneath the SAM surface to the SAM  Au interface. Considerable amounts of Cu (5 nm or more) will penetrate beneath the SAM layer, which is ca. 2.5 nm thick, despite the submonolayer presence of Cu at the SAM surface. The penetration rate depends strongly on the Cu deposition rate. Depositing copper onto MHA at 220 K or less, or using faster Cu deposition rates, results in slower or even completely suppressed penetration of the Cu through the SAM layer, whereas exposure to X-rays greatly enhances the penetration rate of large amounts of Cu through the SAM layer. The reacted copper is, based on the XPS 2p and LMM peaks, in the +2 oxidation state, but cannot be identified with a simple, stoichiometric oxide such as Cu₂O, CuO, or Cu (OH)₂.     

Theoretical interpretation of the valence X-ray photoelectron spectrum of TiC

The valence X-ray photoelectron spectrum of TiC is interpreted in terms of the density of states and in terms of a simple model for transition matrix elements. The conceptual difficulties arising with both the initial and the final state are discussed.     

Determining nonuniformities of core-shell nanoparticle coatings by analysis of the inelastic background of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy survey spectra

Most real core-shell nanoparticle (CSNP) samples deviate from an ideal core-shell structure potentially having significant impact on the particle properties. An ideal structure displays a spherical core fully encapsulated by a shell of homogeneous thickness, and all particles in the sample exhibit the same shell thickness. Therefore, analytical techniques are required that can identify and characterize such deviations. This study demonstrates that by analysis of the inelastic background in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) survey spectra, the following types of deviations can be identified and quantified: the nonuniformity of the shell thickness within a nanoparticle sample and the incomplete encapsulation of the cores by the shell material. Furthermore, CSNP shell thicknesses and relative coverages can be obtained. These results allow for a quick and straightforward comparison between several batches of a specific CSNP, different coating approaches, and so forth. The presented XPS methodology requires a submonolayer distribution of CSNPs on a substrate. Poly(tetrafluoroethylene)-poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(tetrafluoroethylene)-polystyrene polymer CSNPs serve as model systems to demonstrate the applicability of the approach.