X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopic chemical state quantification of mixed nickel metal,oxide and hydroxide systems

Quantitative chemical state X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis of mixed nickel metal, oxide, hydroxide and oxyhydroxide systems is challenging due to the complexity of the Ni 2p peak shapes resulting from multiplet splitting, shake‐up and plasmon loss structures. Quantification of mixed nickel chemical states and the qualitative determination of low concentrations of Ni(III) species are demonstrated via an approach based on standard spectra from quality reference samples (Ni, NiO, Ni(OH)₂, NiOOH), subtraction of these spectra, and data analysis that integrates information from the Ni 2p spectrum and the O 1s spectra. Quantification of a commercial nickel powder and a thin nickel oxide film grown at 1‐Torr O₂ and 300 °C for 20 min is demonstrated. The effect of uncertain relative sensitivity factors (e.g. Ni 2.67 ± 0.54) is discussed, as is the depth of measurement for thin film analysis based on calculated inelastic mean free paths. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Aerosol damage to a microchannel plate analysed by X‐ray photoelectron spectromicroscopy

Localised corrosion on a microchannel plate has been studied using X‐ray photoelectron spectromicroscopy. Curve fitting to the spectra at each pixel in the image data set reveals the presence of sodium and carbonate species at the corrosion sites, which optical microscopy suggests originated as droplets. It is proposed that aerosol contamination of the alkali enriched microchannel plate during removal of particulate material using a stream of compressed gas was responsible for the initiation of corrosion. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modification of polysulfone membranes 5. Effect of n-butylamine and allylamine plasma

This paper describes some properties of microwave plasma polymers of n-butylamine and allylamine deposited on the surface of polysulfone substrate. Contact angle evaluation, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis and estimation of pore size distribution of ultrafiltration polysulfone membranes were used. It was found that addition of Ar to the amine vapor significantly stabilized the plasma and converted it to the ablation mode. The surface became more hydrophilic and the surface groups were enriched in oxygen. Both amines gave deposits of various compositions: the n-butylamine polymer was not as enriched in amines as the polymer formed from allylamine. However, the amounts of nitrogen in both deposits indicated allylamine to be the precursor for the preparation of membranes with weakly basic functionalities. When porous membranes are modified, the ultrafilters obtained may be named `fouling protected' as they do not foul so intensively with proteins as their unmodified analogues. To a lesser extent, similar behavior was shown by membranes modified by deposition of plasma-polymerized n-butylamine.     

Correlation of band electronic structure with efficiency in perovskite solar cells with vanadium (Ⅳ) oxide thin film buffers

Perovskite solar cells have been studied extensively in the area of perovskite solar cells because they have a comparatively free hysteresis. Through fabrication of a perovskite solar cell based on a vanadium oxide buffer, this study clarified the mechanism of electron and hole transport in the laminated layer upon irradiation with light. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the Vanadium (Ⅳ) oxide (VO₂) sputtering process device was approximately 13% and with the spin-coating process was 8.5%. To investigate the physicochemical origin of such PCE differences depending on the process type, comprehensive band alignment and band structure analyses of the actual cell stacks were performed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth measurements. Accordingly, it was found that the inconsistent valence band offset between the perovskite absorption layer and V₂O₅ layer as a function of the VO₂ process type caused a difference in the hole transport, resulting in the difference in the efficiency.     

Study on the influence of advanced treatment processes on the surface properties of polylactic acid for a bio-based circular economy for plastics

New biotechnological processes using microorganisms and/or enzymes to convert carbonaceous resources, either biomass or depolymerized plastics into a broad range of different bioproducts are recognized for their high potential for reduced energy consumption and reduced GHG emissions. However, the hydrophobicity, high molecular weight, chemical and structural composition of most of them hinders their biodegradation. A solution to reduce the impact of non-biodegradable polymers spread in the environment would be to make them biodegradable. Different approaches are evaluated for enhancing their biodegradation. The aim of this work is to develop and optimize the ultrasonication (US) and UV photodegradation and their combination as well as dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma as pre‐treatment technologies, which change surface properties and enhance the biodegradation of plastic by surface oxidation and thus helping bacteria to dock on them. Polylactic acid (PLA) has been chosen as a model polymer to investigate its surface degradation by US, UV, and DBD plasma using surface characterization methods like X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Confocal Laser Microscopy (CLSM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) as well as FT-IR and drop contour analysis. Both US and UV affect the surface properties substantially by eliminating the oxygen content of the polymer but in a different way, while plasma oxidizes the surface.     

三门峡虢季墓遗址盐害分析与调查

针对三门峡虢季墓遗址部分区域存在起甲、泛白、疱疹等由可溶盐引起的病害,在其遗址不同部位取样进行土遗址本体含盐分析.取样区域包括虢季墓、梁姬墓和近代墓遗址.采用X射线荧光光谱(XRF)和离子色谱(IC)分析所取样品的可溶盐成分、含量及可溶盐成盐元素在土遗址中的成盐规律.采用电子能谱(XPS)和X射线衍射(XRD)分析样品的物相组成及盐分状态,扫描电子显微镜/能谱(SEM/EDS)进一步考察含盐土质的颗粒组成、微观形貌等.结果表明:虢季墓取样区域所含盐分主要为Na_2SO_4、CaCO_3和少量的其他盐分如CaCl_2、KNO_3和NaCl等.靠近地面部位所取样品盐分含量高于其他部位,盐害表现更为明显.梁姬墓取样区域总盐分含量略高于虢季墓与近代墓,硝酸盐含量较高.而近代墓遗址可溶盐盐分含量略低,盐害不明显.在不同取样点可溶盐含量有所差异,但在邻近区域,其成盐具有一定规律性,这一点对于遗址基体中盐害的深入研究与防治具有重要意义.     

In situ ion beam sputter deposition and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of multiple thin layers under computer control for combinatorial materials synthesis

Deposition of ultra‐thin layers under computer control is a frequent requirement in studies of novel sensors, materials screening, heterogeneous catalysis, the probing of band offsets near semiconductor junctions and many other applications. Often large‐area samples are produced by magnetron sputtering from multiple targets or by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Samples can then be transferred to an analytical chamber for checking by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) or other surface‐sensitive spectroscopies. The ‘wafer‐scale’ nature of these tools is often greater than is required in combinatorial studies, where a few square centimetres or even millimetres of sample is sufficient for each composition to be tested. The large size leads to increased capital cost, problems of registration as samples are transferred between deposition and analysis, and often makes the use of precious metals as sputter targets prohibitively expensive. Instead we have modified a commercial sample block designed to perform angle‐resolved XPS in a commercial XPS instrument. This now allows ion‐beam sputter deposition from up to six different targets under complete computer control. Ion beam deposition is an attractive technology for depositing ultra‐thin layers of great purity under ultra‐high vacuum conditions, but is generally a very expensive technology. Our new sample block allows ion beam sputtering using the ion gun normally used for sputter depth‐profiling of samples, greatly reducing the cost and allowing deposition to be done (and checked by XPS) in situ in a single instrument. Precious metals are deposited cheaply and efficiently by ion‐beam sputtering from thin metal foils. Samples can then be removed, studied and exposed to reactants or surface treatments before being returned to the XPS to examine and quantify the effects. Copyright © 2016 The Authors Surface and Interface Analysis Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Probing the interfacial interaction between monolayer molybdenum disulfide and Au nanoclusters

Coupling of plasmonic metal nanostructures on two‐dimensional materials represents one promising approach to improve their optoelectronic device performance. In this article, we systematically investigated the interfacial interactions between Au nanoclusters and monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) and the effect of Au decoration on the electrical transport and optical properties of MoS₂, through the combination of in situ MoS₂ field‐effect transistor device evaluation and in situ ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. The in situ X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy/ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy experiments revealed a weak interfacial coupling between Au nanoclusters and monolayer MoS₂. The absence of strong charge transfer between Au nanoclusters and MoS₂ was further confirmed by the photoluminescence and Raman measurements. It was also found that the electron charge‐carrier concentration in monolayer MoS₂ weakly depended on the coverage of Au nanoclusters. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

X‐ray induced degradation of surface bound azido groups during XPS analysis

Mesoporous silica SBA‐15 was synthesized and silanized with azidopropyl triethoxysilane in order to design a clickable material. Fourier transform infrared analysis permitted to prove the attachment of the azidopropylene groups to SBA‐15 resulting in the reactive and functional material N₃‐SBA‐15. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to determine the surface composition of SBA‐15. However, we unexpectedly found that the surface bound azido groups undergo X‐ray induced decomposition during the X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis resulting in the formation of nitrenes. These are very reactive groups able to intercalate C―C and C―H bonds of the propylene chains as judged from the N1s peak shape. Possible mechanisms of intercalation are suggested. C1s and N1s peaks were recorded at different exposure time. N/C, N⁺/N and N⁺/C undergo exponential decay. N⁺/N reaches the value of zero in less than 80 min of exposure to the X‐ray source. The N⁺/C decay plot was fitted with first‐order kinetics, and the decomposition kinetic constant (k_dec) was found to equal to 516.4 s^?1. This is a fast X‐ray induced degradation which must be considered with care when examining clickable materials with surface bound alkyl azido groups. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Suppressed formation of CO2 and H2O in the oxidative coupling of methane over La2O3/MgO catalyst by surface modification

Oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) is a promising way to convert methane into C_2 hydrocarbons. However, CO_2 and H_2O are by-products of the reaction. To utilize the higher activity of lanthanum oxide and save its usage, MgO supported La_2O_3 catalyst was prepared. Surface modification of the catalyst with nitric acid was made to suppress the formation of the by-products. Experimental results indicated that the addition of nitric acid increased the surface oxygen species with binding energy of ca. 531.7 eV and at the same time reduced the pore volume of the catalyst. These effects of nitric acid finally led to the increase of C_2 selectivity and the decrease of the by-products formation. Hydrogen selectivity was found about 14%- 18% over the catalysts adopted in this work.