A dataset of high-resolution synchrotron x-ray photoelectron spectra of tarnished silver-copper surfaces before and after reduction with a remote helium plasma at atmospheric pressure.

The data presented in this article are related to the measurements in the contribution titled: 'Tarnished silver-copper surfaces reduction using remote helium plasma at atmospheric pressure studied by means of high-resolution synchrotron x-ray photoelectron microscopy' published in Corrosion Science. X-ray photoelectron spectra were collected from pure silver, sterling silver (92.5 w% Ag and 7.5 w% Cu) alloy and pure copper. These metals were artificially sulphidised. A remote helium plasma at atmospheric pressure was applied on the metallic and sulphidised state. Then the top layer of the 4 surface states were analysed at the NanoESCA beamline (Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis at the Nanoscale) at Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste. The instrument installed as an end station at the NanoESCA beamline of the Elettra storage ring combines an electrostatic Photo Electron Emission Microscope (PEEM) with a double-hemispherical ('IDEA') analyser, allowing the collection of photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) images, X-ray photo electron-energy-filtered images and XPS spectra. The NanoESCA beamline provides electromagnetic radiation with variable polarization (linear, circular) and energies up to 1000 eV. Information for Cu3p, Cl2p, S2p, C1s and Ag3d were obtained by collecting spectra at 450 eV. The goal of the analyses was to determine how the plasma treatment changed the top layer of the metallic and sulphidised surface of pure silver, sterling silver and pure copper. This contribution focuses on the calibration of the collected XPS spectra, as well as the impact of the plasma treatment on the surface states.

Melamine-Formaldehyde Microcapsules: Micro- and Nanostructural Characterization with Electron Microscopy.

A systematic study has been carried out to compare the surface morphology, shell thickness, mechanical properties, and binding behavior of melamine-formaldehyde microcapsules of 5-30 µm diameter size with various amounts of core content by using scanning and transmission electron microscopy including electron tomography, in situ nanomechanical tensile testing, and electron energy-loss spectroscopy. It is found that porosities are present on the outside surface of the capsule shell, but not on the inner surface of the shell. Nanomechanical tensile tests on the capsule shells reveal that Young's modulus of the shell material is higher than that of bulk melamine-formaldehyde and that the shells exhibit a larger fracture strain compared with the bulk. Core-loss elemental analysis of microcapsules embedded in epoxy indicates that during the curing process, the microcapsule-matrix interface remains uniform and the epoxy matrix penetrates into the surface micro-porosities of the capsule shells.

TEM and AES investigations of the natural surface nano-oxide layer of an AISI 316L stainless steel microfibre.

The chemical composition, nanostructure and electronic structure of nanosized oxide scales naturally formed on the surface of AISI 316L stainless steel microfibres used for strengthening of composite materials have been characterised using a combination of scanning and transmission electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray, electron energy loss and Auger spectroscopy. The analysis reveals the presence of three sublayers within the total surface oxide scale of 5.0-6.7 nm thick: an outer oxide layer rich in a mixture of FeO.Fe2 O3 , an intermediate layer rich in Cr2 O3 with a mixture of FeO.Fe2 O3 and an inner oxide layer rich in nickel.