Electron energy loss spectroscopy: Application to synthetic organic polymers

Abstract

AbstractElectron energy loss spectroscopy has been examined as a possible tool for measuring the atomic composition of polymers on a local scale in the transmission electron microscope. Thin films of nylon 6,6 and single crystal lamellae of poly(chlorotrifluorethylene) were investigated as model systems. Spectra were obtained using an 100 kV electron beam. Results for nylon 6,6 gave fairly good quantitative agreement between the measured relative atomic contents of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen (77, 9, and 14%, ± 5%, respectively) and the calculated values (75, 12.5, and 12.5%, respectively). Spectra obtained for poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) single crystals revealed significant mass loss of chlorine as a function of electron dose. The amount of chlorine decayed exponentially with a characteristic dose D* of 96 C/m2. Supporting the poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) crystals on a continuous carbon film, a holey carbon film, or sandwiched between two carbon films did not effect the mass loss decay constant significantly but did effect the amount of chlorine remaining in the irradiated area at large electron doses. The poly(chlorotrifluorethylene) crystals sandwiched between two carbon films retained more chlorine at large doses, possibly due to the carbon film on both sides of the crystals, inhibiting surface diffusion of the chlorine. Analysis of the spectrum from a portion of a trilayer PCTFE crystal suspended over a hole in the support film gave the relative contents of C, Cl, and F (extrapolated to zero dose) as being 38, 15, and 47%, respectively. The calculated values are 33, 17, and 50%, respectively.