X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) for Polymers - Plastics & Resins
Polymer materials are finding ever increasing application in numerous consumer products. Applications range from areas as diverse as food packaging to organic electronics and biomaterials to automotive body panels. The surface properties of these materials are often vital in determining performance of the polymer for the specific application. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is ideally suited to the surface characterisation of these polymers as it can provide quantitative chemical state information from the upper 10nm of the material.
Importance of charge neutralisation
The majority of polymer materials are insulating. Therefore effective charge compensation is paramount when acquiring high resolution spectra with monochromatic x-rays. The performance of the AXIS spectrometer’s electron only charge neutralisation is demonstrated by guaranteed performance on PET where the FWHM of the component corresponding to the ester group is <0.68 eV with a sensitivity defined by the maximum of the hydrocarbon peak >20 kcps.
A comprehensive guide to charge neutralisation and binding energy referencing for insulating samples outlines the challenges and importance of effective charge neutralisation. Confidence provided by robust charge neutralisation is fundamental when attempting XPS analysis of polymer materials.