Ultrathin Free-Standing Oxide Membranes for Electron and Photon Spectroscopy Studies of Solid-Gas and Solid-Liquid Interfaces.
Yi-Hsien LuCarlos MoralesXiao ZhaoMatthijs A van SpronsenArtem BaskinDavid PrendergastPeidong YangHans A BechtelEdward S BarnardD Frank OgletreeVirginia AltoeLeonardo SorianoAdam M SchwartzbergMiquel B SalmeronPublished in: Nano letters (2020)
Free-standing ultrathin (∼2 nm) films of several oxides (Al2O3,TiO2, and others) have been developed, which are mechanically robust and transparent to electrons with Ekin ≥ 200 eV and to photons. We demonstrate their applicability in environmental X-ray photoelectron and infrared spectroscopy for molecular level studies of solid-gas (≥1 bar) and solid-liquid interfaces. These films act as membranes closing a reaction cell and as substrates and electrodes for electrochemical reactions. The remarkable properties of such ultrathin oxides membranes enable atomic/molecular level studies of interfacial phenomena, such as corrosion, catalysis, electrochemical reactions, energy storage, geochemistry, and biology, in a broad range of environmental conditions.
Keyphrases
- ionic liquid
- room temperature
- case control
- gold nanoparticles
- electron transfer
- high resolution
- single molecule
- high efficiency
- metal organic framework
- single cell
- magnetic resonance
- computed tomography
- magnetic resonance imaging
- stem cells
- photodynamic therapy
- bone marrow
- carbon dioxide
- quantum dots
- molecular dynamics simulations
- visible light
- simultaneous determination