ABSTRACT
We investigate the feasibility of overlayer attenuated-total-reflectance (O-ATR) infrared spectroscopy as a surface analytical tool for studying reactions and molecular properties of adsorbates at surfaces exposed to aqueous nonelectrolyte solutions. Through modeling an O-ATR system by assuming it to comprise three, four, or n phases of homogeneous refractive index, one can use an electric-field analysis to determine how the parameters of adsorption free energy, overlayer thickness, initial angle of incidence, and internal-reflection element refractive-index influence solvent-subtracted O-ATR infrared-absorption spectra. The theory behind such an analysis is explained, and the results of its application are presented for hypothetical O-ATR systems consisting of either a zinc selenide or a germanium internal-reflection element, an iron or hematite overlayer, an adsorbate layer, and a solution of methylene chloride in water.
ABSTRACT
A method for deflecting ions, such as K(+), produced outside a Fourier-transform mass spectrometer cell during laser-induced thermal desorption, is described. This technique has been shown to deflect laser-generated K and Ti ions from two Ti foil samples (biomedical implant model surfaces), yielding mass spectra of coadsorbed organic species. Further studies characterizing the laser desorption/deflection parameters have shown that ion deflection improves with higher deflection voltages and greater sample to Fourier-transform mass spectrometry cell separation. Higher laser power densities resulted in greater surface ion production; hence higher deflection voltages were necessary. A 6% increase in laser power necessitated a fourfold increase in deflection voltage for the Ti sample.
