Adsorption of polyamides and polyamide–silane mixtures at glass surfaces

The individual and combined adsorption behavior of polyamides and two different silanes to multicomponent glass surfaces was probed with a combination of x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and static contact angle measurements. Samples were analyzed with and without solvent rinsing to separate the weakly bound (physisorbed) and more strongly bound (chemisorbed) species. High‐resolution XPS on N 1s revealed that the polyamides adsorb to the glass surfaces via protonated amine species at the acidic (OH) sites on the glass surface. Angle‐resolved XPS confirmed this by showing that the alkyl portion of the polymer is oriented away from the glass interface. In competitive coadsorption studies it was found that amino‐terminated silanes preferentially adsorb to the glass surface, relegating the polyamide to a physisorbed outer layer. When mercaptoterminated silanes were competitively coadsorbed the polyamide was preferentially adsorbed even when present at a concentration twenty times less than that of the silane. Altogether, this work reveals the strong interaction between surface silanols and amino‐functionalized organics. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fabrication of lead titanate single crystalline nanowires by hydrothermal method and their characterization

Single crystalline nanowires of lead titanate (PbTiO₃) were fabricated by hydrothermal method at 200°C using lead acetate and n-tetrabutyl titanate as starting materials, where sodium hydroxide was served as a mineralizer. Crystalline phases, microstructure and optical properties of PbTiO₃ nanowires were investigated. The PbTiO₃ nanowires were uniform and continuous along the long axis, and were composed of single crystalline PbTiO₃ with a tetragonal perovskite structure. The diameter of a single nanowire was around 12 nm and the length reached up to 3 μm. The chemical composition of the samples and the valence states of elements were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The ultraviolet/visible absorption spectroscopic investigation suggested that the absorption edge of optical transition of the first excitonic state occurred at around 320 nm. A blue-green light emission peaking at about 471 nm (2.63 eV) is observed at room temperature, and the intensity of this emission increased with increasing excitation wavelength. Oxygen vacancies are responsible for the light emission of PbTiO₃ nanowires.     

Are measured values of the Auger parameter always independent of charging effects?

In x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) the Auger parameter is often used to study the electronic properties of elements, particularly in insulator materials, because this parameter is assumed to be independent of charging effects. In this paper we report on subtle differences in sample structure and experimental conditions for which the sample potential may not remain constant during the measurements for some spectrometers or experimental arrangements; for such conditions the Auger parameter is not independent of charging. We compare a series of measurements with insulating plate substrates of Al₂O₃ on which different amounts of SnO₂ and Au were deposited. X‐ray photoelectron spectra were collected for different conditions of the sample that was placed either grounded or left floating on a metallic sample holder during measurement. It is found that the Auger parameter is independent of the experimental conditions for Au but substantial differences were found for deposited SnO₂. Surprisingly, measurement artifacts due to charging appeared in the Auger parameter for Sn when the sample holder was grounded but not when it was left floating. In the grounded samples differences up to 0.6 eV in the Auger parameter for Sn were found with respect to the actual value of this parameter measured with substrates where charging effects were not significant. Because no differences in peak broadening have been observed under different measurement conditions, it has been assumed that the shift was not caused by a conventional differential charging phenomenon. Considering the different response of the substrate and the deposited layer on stabilizing the charge when the sample is grounded, we have worked out a possible explanation to account for the observed artifacts. Instrumental specifications should be optimized very carefully, especially if (as here) relatively high charging shifts point to a non‐optimum self‐biasing of the surface potential at the insulating samples. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Effects of M2O3 on Stabilizing Monocopper over the Surface of Cu-ZnO-M2O3 Catalysts for Mathanol Synthesis

The effects of M₃O₃ (M = Al, Sc etc.) in Cu-ZnO-M₂O₃ catalysts on methanol synthesis at low pressure were studied with ESR, XPS and TPR spectroscopy. The results of ESR showed that the generation of monovalent cationic defects was because the valence state and electronic charge on the ZnO lattice lost their balance as M³⁺ doped into ZnO. The induced effect by Sc³⁺ is stronger than that by Al³⁺. The results of XPS and TPR indicated that the amount and stabilization of Cu⁺ on the surface of reduced copper-based catalyst and its catalytic activity were affected by the monovalent cationic defects on the surface of ZnO.     

聚己内酯聚醚嵌段共聚物和共混物的表面性质对其药物释放行为的影响

聚己内酯聚醚嵌段共聚物和共混物的表面性质对其药物释放行为的影响王卫华，贝建中，王智峰，王身国（中国科学院化学研究所北京１０００８０）关键词聚己内酯聚醚嵌段共聚物，共混物，电子能谱，表面性质，药物释放行为聚己内醋（ＰＣＬ）具有优良的药物通透性和生物相容...     

XPS分析中使用样品磁透镜引起的谱峰位移和峰形畸变

发现当使用Mg/Al双阳极和样品磁透镜进行非导电样品（或与样品托绝缘的导电样品）的X射线光电子能谱分析时，谱峰出现异常大的位移和谱形出现畸变；在同时使用电子中和枪时谱峰位移变小，当导电样品与样品托有良好的电接触时谱峰位移消失；作者提出这种异常大的位移来自样品荷电效应，后者是由于样品磁透镜的磁场与来自X射线枪A1窗的低能杂散电子发生了相互作用并使这些杂散电子不能到达样品表面起中和作用所致。     

共混合聚(醚-酯)多嵌段共聚物的表面表征及其血液相容性研究

本文通过X-射线光电子能谱(XPS)、表面接触角、表面ξ电位和血液相容性实验,研究了聚(醚-酯)多嵌段共聚物及其共混物的表面组成和性质与血液相容性的关系。实验结果表明,疏水性的PET-PTMO多嵌段共聚物的血液相容性很差,并且与表相中软段的富集量无关;当亲水性的PET-PEO多嵌段共聚物与疏水性的PET-PTMO多嵌段共聚物共混后,发现存在着一个最佳的共混比例,此时材料表面的血小板粘附量大大降低。对于共混物,表相△[C—O)/[C—O]和表面ξ电位可以较好地与血小板粘附量相关联。以上结果清楚地表明,材料表面的亲-疏水性平衡、软段深度层次分布及表面电位是影响血液相容性的重要因素。     

Stainless steel modified with poly(ethylene glycol) can prevent protein adsorption but not bacterial adhesion

The surface of AISI 316 grade stainless steel (SS) was modified with a layer of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) (molecular weight 5000) with the aim of preventing protein adsorption and bacterial adhesion. Model SS substrates were first modified to introduce a very high density of reactive amine groups by the adsorption of branched poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) from water. Methoxy-terminated aldehyde-poly(ethylene glycol) (M-PEG-CHO) was then grafted onto the PEI layers using reductive amination at the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the PEG in order to optimize the graft density of the linear PEG chains. The chemical composition and uniformity of the surfaces were determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight static secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SSIMS) in the imaging mode. The effects of PEI concentration and different substrate pre-cleaning methods on the structure and stability of the final PEG layer was examined. Piranha solution proved to be the most effective method for removing adventitious hydrocarbon contamination, compared to cleaning with ultrasonication in organic solvents, and was the SS substrate that produced the most stable and thickest PEI layer. The surface density of PEI was shown to increase with increasing PEI concentration (up to 30 mg/ml), as determined from XPS measurements, and subsequently produced the PEG layer with the highest density of attached chains. In model experiments using β-lactoglobulin no protein adsorption was detected on the optimized PEG surface as determined by XPS and ToF-SSIMS analysis. However, neither the adhesion of a Gram-negative (Pseudomonas sp.) nor a Gram-positive (Listeria monocytogenes) bacterium was affected by the coating as equal numbers adhered to all surfaces tested. Our results show that preventing protein adsorption is not a prerequisite stopping bacterial adhesion, and that other mechanisms most likely play a role.     

Loss and recovery in hydrophobicity of silicone rubber exposed to corona discharge

This paper describes the loss and recovery in the hydrophobicity of unfilled high temperature vulcanized silicone rubber (HTV-SR) resulting from corona discharge. In this study, HTV-SR specimens were exposed to corona stress generated by a parallel needle-plane electrode system, and physicochemical analyses on the surface layer of SR before and after corona discharge treatment were carried out by using Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It is demonstrated that hydrophilic OH groups that are by-products of ageing can be formed instead of hydrophobic CH₃ groups on the surface of aged SR and the corona discharge plays an important role on the temporary loss of hydrophobicity. After a substantial period of ‘rest’, the hydrophobic recovery of SR results from the diffusion of low-molecular weight (LMW) silicone fluid from the bulk onto the aged layer.     

Characterisation of a wheat straw cell wall residue by various techniques: A comparative study with a synthetic and an extracted lignin

Comparative studies using various analytical and spectroscopic techniques have been carried out on three samples of lignin: two samples of natural lignin that have been extracted using different processes, and one sample of synthetic lignin. This paper discusses the general features common to all three kinds of lignin, as well as the differences between, on one hand, the two natural lignins coming from different extraction processes, and, on the other hand, the natural lignins and the synthetic one. The advantages of each technique in explaining the structure of these three different lignins are emphasised.