In situ characterization of the initial effect of water on molecular interactions at the interface of organic/inorganic hybrid systems
Sven Pletincx (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
L. Trotochaud (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
Laura Lynn I. Fockaert ((OLD) MSE-6)
JMC Mol ((OLD) MSE-6)
Asley R. Head (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
O. Karslıoğlu (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
Hendrik Bluhm (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
H.A. Terryn (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
T. Hauffman (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
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Abstract
Probing initial interactions at the interface of hybrid systems under humid conditions has the potential to reveal the local chemical environment at solid/solid interfaces under real-world, technologically relevant conditions. Here, we show that ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (APXPS) with a conventional X-ray source can be used to study the effects of water exposure on the interaction of a nanometer-thin polyacrylic acid (PAA) layer with a native aluminum oxide surface. The formation of a carboxylate ionic bond at the interface is characterized both with APXPS and in situ attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in the Kretschmann geometry (ATR-FTIR Kretschmann). When water is dosed in the APXPS chamber up to 5 Torr (∼28% relative humidity), an increase in the amount of ionic bonds at the interface is observed. To confirm our APXPS interpretation, complementary ATR-FTIR Kretschmann experiments on a similar model system, which is exposed to an aqueous electrolyte, are conducted. These spectra demonstrate that water leads to an increased wet adhesion through increased ionic bond formation.
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