Applications of ESCA to polymer chemistry. X. Core and valence energy levels of a series of polyacrylates

The core and valence levels of a series of poly(alkyl acrylates) have been studied by ESCA. From an analysis of the individual component peaks for the C_1s and O_1s core levels and from comparison of relative area ratios it is shown that ESCA may be applied to the study of surface compositions. The evidence presented strongly suggests that on the ESCA depth-profiling scale the technique statistically sample the repeat units with no evidence for preferential orientation of side chains at the surface. For some samples, ESCA provides evidence for a degree of surface oxidation and hydrocarbon contamination. The valence energy levels are shown to be characteristic of the polymer system. The measured absolute and relative binding energies of the core levels have been compared with model calculations using the charge-potential model in the CNDO/2 SCF MO formalism.     

Applications of ESCA to polymer chemistry. XI. Core and valence energy levels of a series of polymethacrylates

The core and valence energy levels of a series of poly(alkyl methacrylates) have been studied by ESCA. Surface compositions have been determined both from a comparison of area ratios for the O_1s and C_1s core levels and from the relative areas for the individual component peaks for these levels. The evidence presented suggests that on the ESCA depth-profiling scale the technique statistically samples the repeat unit with little or no evidence for preferential orientation of the alkyl side chain at the surface. Little evidence was found for either surface oxidation or hydrocarbon contamination at the surface of the samples studied. The valence energy levels are shown to be characteristic of the polymer system.     

Applications of ESCA to polymer chemistry. III. Structures and bonding in homopolymers of ethylene and the fluoroethylenes and determination of the compositions of fluoro copolymers

Molecular core binding energies have been measured by ESCA for the homopolymers of ethylene and the fluoroethylenes. The data are interpreted in terms of semiempirical all-valence electron SCF MO calculations in the CNDO/2 formalism, in conjunction with the charge potential model. The results are used as a basis for interpreting the measured core binding energies of some Viton and Kel F type polymers. The routine application of ESCA to the determination of copolymer compositions is described.     

Applications of ESCA to polymer chemistry: Studies of some nitroso rubbers

Molecular core binding energies of the polymers formed by copolymerization of CF₃NO with CF₂?CF₂, CF₂?CFCl, and CF₂?CFH, respectively, have been studied by means of ESCA. The results are interpreted in terms of CNDO/2 SCF MO calculations on some model systems. Some evidence for structural irregularity is found for the copolymers with CF₂?CFCl and with CF₂?CFH. The reaction mechanism for the polymerization is also discussed in terms of the experimental results and INDO SCF MO calculations.     

Applications of ESCA to polymer chemistry. XII. Structure and bonding in commercially produced fluorographites

A series of fluorinated graphites, Fluorographites, of varying fluorine content has been examined by ESCA, and the chemical shifts and relative intensities of the core electron lines yield a consistent picture of the compositions and structures in the surface regions of the materials. Fluorographites of composition (C₁F_0.81)_n to (C₁F_1.00)_n are fully fluorinated in the outermost ～40 Å and consist of a bulk structure composed of tertiary →CF groups with ? CF₂? groups at the prismatic edges of the fluorinated graphite layers. This is also the case for (C₁F_1.05)_n, but, in addition, some of the C? C bonds involving edge →CF carbons are broken and replaced by C? F bonds, giving a higher concentration of ? CF₂? groups at the outermost surfaces of the particles of this material. The ESCA data for (C₁F_0.25)_n are consistent with a structure comprising six-membered aromatic rings in which each ring carbon is attached to a →CF group acting as a bridge among three similar rings, with the C? F bonds alternately pointing up and down with respect to the plane defined by the carbon atoms. At the immediate surface the valence requirements of the carbon atoms at the prismatic edges of the graphite-like layers are satisfied by bonding with oxygen. This is also the apparent structure of (C₁F_0.37)_n, but in addition there exist discrete regions of composition (C₁F₁)_n distributed uniformly throughout this material. The Fluorographites (C₁F_0.34)_n, and (C₁F_0.40)_n, and (C₁F_0.63)_n consist of blocks of C₁F₁ stoichiometry and blocks of unreacted graphite. The presence of ? CF₂? groups and the complete absence of oxygen in the surface regions of these Fluorographites suggests that the prismatic edge sites are fully fluorinated. The inhomogeneous block-like structures of (C₁F_0.37)_n, (C₁F_0.37)_n, and (C₁F_0.34)_n, (C_1F0.40)_n, and (C₁F_0.63)_n, give rise to differential sample charging, resulting in apparent shifts in the binding energy scales between the spectral components originating from different regions of the samples. Such differential sample charging is also described for a number of mixtures of the Fluorographites and of graphite with the Fluorographites. It is pointed out that in view of these results it is necessary to exercise considerable caution in using the ESCA lines of an added compound as a reference in measuring core electron-binding energies.     

Applications of ESCA to polymer chemistry. Part VI. Surface fluorination of polyethylene. Application of ESCA to the examination of structure as a function of depth

Molecular core binding energies have been measured by ESCA for series of surface-fluorinated high-density polyethylene films. Detailed analysis of the results shows that the technique can be used to establish a comprehensive picture of the early stages of the surface fluorination process. Both the depth of fluorination, and stoichiometry and molecular structure as a function of depth, in the range 0–50 Å have been established. In addition, minor features such as oxidation, hydration, and hydrocarbon contamination at the surface are clearly revealed. Detailed consideration of the results allows a discussion of the dynamics of the overall fluorination process.     

Applications of ESCA to polymer chemistry. IV. The composition and structure of copolymers of ethylene with tetrafluoroethylene

Molecular core binding energies have been measured by ESCA for a series of copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene. Detailed analysis of the results demonstrates the utility of ESCA for determination of copolymer compositions and for providing information on important structural features for these copolymers.     

Application of ESCA to polymer chemistry. VIII. Surface structures of AB block copolymers of polydimethylsiloxane and polystyrene

The surface morphology of a number of films of AB block copolymers of polydimethylsiloxane and polystyrene was examined by ESCA and contact angle measurements. In all cases the immediate surface is shown to consist of an essentially pure polydimethylsiloxane component. By comparing the intensities of elastic peaks corresponding to photoionizations from core levels without energy loss for polydimethylsiloxane and polystyrene with those for the block copolymers and by consideration of shake-up phenomena specific to the polystyrene component, an estimate of the thickness of the polydimethylsiloxane outer layer of the latter may be obtained. This is shown to vary between ～13 and 40 Å, depending on the method of formation of copolymer film.     

Application of ESCA to polymer chemistry. XVI. Electron mean free paths as a function of kinetic energy in polymeric films determined by means of ESCA

Electron mean free paths as a function of kinetic energy have been measured by the substrate overlayer technique for in situ-polymerized films of poly(p-xylylene) and the monochloro- and monobromo-substituted derivatives. The results are compared with previous estimates of mean free paths available in the literature for organic materials. Comparison is also drawn with corresponding experimental data for typical metals and semiconductors, and it is shown that organic polymers fit into a consistent picture which may be rationalized on the basis of existing theory. For electrons of kinetic energy ～969 eV, ～1170 eV, 1202 eV, and 1403 eV, mean free paths of ～14 Å, ～22 Å, ～23 Å, and ～29 Å, respectively, are obtained for the poly(p-xylylene) polymer films studied in this work.     

Systematic investigation of global phase behavior of polymer mixtures in the pressure-temperature plane

We investigate the critical lines of polymer mixtures in the presence of their vapor phase at the mathematical double point, where two critical lines meet and exchange branches, and its environment. The model used combines the lattice gas model of Schouten, ten Seldam and Trappeniers with the Flory-Huggins theory. The critical line structure is displayed for various combinations of the chain length and system parameters in the pressure (P)-temperature (T) plane, as is usually done with experimental results. This type of work sheds light on the essential transition mechanism involved in the phase diagram's change of character, such as multi-critical points and mathematical double points, which are of great practical importance in supercritical fluid extraction processes. The P, T diagrams are discussed in accordance with the Scott and van Konynenburg binary phase diagram classification. We found that our P, T plots were in agreement with type II, type III, or type IV phase diagram behaviors. We also found that some of our phase diagrams represent the liquid-liquid equilibria in polymer solutions and mixtures.     

Spin-probe studies. II. Applications to polymer characterization

The spin-probe technique has been employed to study interactions between several small organic nitroxides and host polymers in which they are dissolved. By this method one is able to study the mobility of the dissolved molecule in its microscopic environment using electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The behavior of one nitroxide has been examined in twelve different polymers and copolymers. An ESR line shape parameter has been correlated with T_m and T_g. In addition, energy barriers for the rotation of the dissolved nitroxides in the polymers have been calculated. They range from 7.8 to 18 kcal/mole, depending on the structure of the nitroxide and the polymer. Similar experiments in a hydrocarbon solvent afford a rotational energy barrier of 3.8 kcal/mole.     

ESCA investigation of the electronic structure of polyhexafluorobut-2-yne

Polyperfluorobut-2-yne is prepared by a fluoride ion-induced polymerization of hexafluorobut-2-yne. The mass spectrum indicates a regular fragmentation pattern but the ESCA spectrum establishes the structure as a polyene, rather than a crosslinked system, and the occurrence of a shake-up peak assists in this assignment.     

ESCA applied to polymers. XXII. An investigation of sample charging phenomena for polymeric films on gold

Sample charging phenomena arising in the ESCA experiment have been investigated for gold and polymer films of known thickness ranging from 5 Å to 20 μ deposited on gold either insulated from or in electrical contact with the spectrometer. Charging induced by a monochromatic x-ray source is typically an order of magnitude greater than that induced by a nonmonochromatized source and exhibits a marked time dependence. A novel source of secondary electrons which employs a low-power, low-pressure mercury lamp external to the spectrometer source chamber as an alternative to an electron flood gun is described, and the charging and biasing characteristics of polymer films as a function of film thickness are discussed and demonstrated to provide an extra informational dimension for the study of polymeric materials.     

Topological polymer chemistry: systematic classification of nonlinear polymer topologies.

Nonlinear polymer topologies composed of cyclic and branched polymer segments are systematically classified by reference to constitutional isomerism in a series of alkanes (CnH2n+2), monocycloalkanes (CnH2n), and polycycloalkanes (CnH2n-2, CnH2n-4, etc). Thus, the total number of chain ends (termini) and of branch points (junctions) are maintained as invariant parameters, as well as the number of branches at each junction and the connectivity of junction. On the other hand, the distance between two adjacent junctions and that between the junction and terminus are taken as variant parameters. On the basis of the classification of polymer topologies, a novel synthetic strategy by an "electrostatic self-assembly and covalent fixation" technique has been proposed to construct a variety of topologically unique polymer architectures.     

ESCA applied to polymers. XXXI. A theoretical investigation of molecular core binding and relaxation energies in a series of prototype systems for nitrogen and oxygen functionalities in polymers

Nonempirical LCAO MO SCF computations (in the ΔSCF formalism) were performed on the ground and core-hole states of a range of nitrogen-containing model systems which encompass most of the common functionalities of interest in the study of polymers. The data complement those previously presented on oxygen functionalities and show that for specific functionalities (e.g. nitrate esters and nitriles) substituent effects can be substantially different than normally anticipated on the basis of a simple additivity model. A comparison was drawn in appropriate cases with experimental data on simple model systems and polymers.     

Applications of polymer rism theory to blends

Polymer RISM (reference interaction site model) theory is a theory of polymer systems in the liquid phase in which account for chemical realism can be made. Results are reported here of phase diagrams (spinodals) for blend systems calculated by means of this theory, using the mean spherical approximation as a closure. The systems investigated are an isotopic blend, a set of homopolymer/copolymer blends, and a model blend containing specific interactions.     

Applications of the small spot ESCA system SSX 100 in surface analysis

Summary Evidence is presented that old ESCA limitations and restrictions (e.g. big X-ray beam diameter or small unrealistic size of samples) are not valid any longer. The new SSX 100 ESCA spectrometer with its unique combination of ESCA innovations (focusing monochromator, parallel imaging detectors, high throughput electron optics and improved sample handling) makes solving surface problems much easier. Two applications on semiconductors and insulators using the small spot X-ray beam (diameter: 150 m) demonstrate that small spot ESCA technique now can be applied on problems which could not be solved with conventional ESCA technique hitherto.

---

Anwendungsbeispiele vom fein-fokussierenden ESCA-System SSX 100 in der Oberflächenanalytik

Zusammenfassung Es wird gezeigt, daß bisherige Limitierungen und Restriktionen in der Anwendung der ESCA-Technik (z.B. der relativ große Strahldurchmesser oder die kleine unrealistische Probengröße) nicht länger gültig sind. Das neue SSX 100 ESCA-System hilft bei der Lösung von Oberflächenproblemen ganz erheblich aufgrund seiner einzigartigen Kombination von sinnvollen und hilfreichen Innovationen (z.B. fokussierender Monochromator, parallel abbildender Detektor, effektive Elektronenoptik und ver besserte Probenhandhabung). Zwei Anwendungen bei Halbleitern und Isolatoren unter Benutzung des feinfokussierten Röntgenstrahls (Durchmesser: 150 m) zeigen, daß die small spot ESCA-Technik jetzt erfolgreich bei Problemen angewandt werden kann, die bisher mit konventionellem ESCA nicht zu lösen waren.