Chemical Analysis of Solids and Powders

The Thermo K-Alpha XPS uses a focused beam of x-rays to eject electrons from the near-surface region of a sample in a vacuum.
The energies of those electrons are characteristic of the elements from which they came and the specific chemical bonds that involve those elements.
By plotting the number of photoelectrons as a function of energy, one can obtain detailed information on the near-surface elemental and chemical composition of a sample.
To reserve time or request training on this tool, click here or on the image at left to go to the K-alpha XPS tool page on SUMS.

Deconvolution of Carbon spectrum in a graphene oxide film on SiC shows XPS ability to distinguish chemical states.	Nitrogen-rich areas -in Red on map above – show amine-terminated spots on a Ti layer.  The map is overlaid on an optical image of the sample.	An integrated Ar sputter gun allows in-situ         sample cleaning and depth profiles like the         one above on a multi-layer PZT film.

Several analysis techniques provide information about elemental composition (XRF, EDS, SIMS, etc.).  For inorganic compounds that information is usually enough to determine a sample’s chemical makeup.  However, for organic compounds, there are typically numerous chemical permutations even within the constraints of a given composition.
Only a few techniques provide direct evidence of the chemical state of an element.  Among them, XPS is unique in it’s surface sensitivity, which makes it an ideal way to study – among other materials – (catalysts, ion-exchange membranes, graphene and other low-dimensional structures, functionalized CNT’s, metal corrosion, etc.)

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