Casula, G.; Fantauzzi, M.; Elsener, B.; Rossi, A. XPS and ARXPS for Characterizing Multilayers of Silanes on Gold Surfaces. Coatings2024, 14, 327.
Casula, G.; Fantauzzi, M.; Elsener, B.; Rossi, A. XPS and ARXPS for Characterizing Multilayers of Silanes on Gold Surfaces. Coatings 2024, 14, 327.
Casula, G.; Fantauzzi, M.; Elsener, B.; Rossi, A. XPS and ARXPS for Characterizing Multilayers of Silanes on Gold Surfaces. Coatings2024, 14, 327.
Casula, G.; Fantauzzi, M.; Elsener, B.; Rossi, A. XPS and ARXPS for Characterizing Multilayers of Silanes on Gold Surfaces. Coatings 2024, 14, 327.
Abstract
XPS and ARXPS characterization of surface layers resulting from the functionalization of polymers such as PVC modified with MPTMS and APTES is challenging due to the signals overlap, deriving both from the substrate and the functionalized layers. In this work, a freshly cleaved, ideally flat gold surface was used as carbon-free model substrate functionalized with MPTMS and subsequently grafted with APTES. Avoiding the overlap of signals from carbon atoms present in the substrate, the signals in the C1s, O1s, Si2p, S2p and N1s high-resolution spectra could be assigned to the MPTMS / APTES functionalized layer only and the curve fitting parameters could be determined. Quantitative analysis was in very good agreement with the expected stoichiometry of the functionalized layer, confirming the adopted curve fitting procedure. In addition, it was found that one molecule of APTES grafted two MPTMS via silane groups. ARXPS allowed determining the thickness of the functionalized layers: MPTMS thickness was found to be 0.5 (0.2) nm, MPTMS + APTES thickness 1.0 (0.2) nm in good agreement with Avogadro model calculations. This approach can be considered a powerful tool for characterising functionalized surfaces of more complex systems by XPS.
Chemistry and Materials Science, Surfaces, Coatings and Films
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