Abstract
The growth of silane films on plasma oxidized highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surfaces has been studied using wet chemical deposition of propyltrimethoxysilane (PTMS) and propyldimethylmethoxysilane (PDMMS). Scanning Auger microscopy (SAM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to investigate the chemical composition and morphology of the silane films. The effects of several deposition parameters were examined, including the necessity of oxidation of the HOPG surface, addition of water with the silane, and rinsing before curing. The optimal conditions needed to create a complete uniform film differ for the two silanes due to differences in their structures. Both silanes require an oxidized HOPG surface for a film to grow, the addition of water with PTMS results in a thicker film, while the addition of water with PDMMS decreases the film growth. Rinsing of both samples before curing removes physisorbed species, leaving only the covalently bonded film on the surface.
Highlights
The applications of silanes are extremely diverse, including corrosion protection films [1,2], coupling agents and cross linkers [1,2,3,4], and corner capping agents for nanoparticle molecules such as polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) [5]
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of the C 1s peak of the oxidized highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface showed the presence of carbonyl, ether, and hydroxyl and epoxy species in approximately equal amounts [18]
Water was added with the PTMS for the sample (PTMS 3) in an attempt to achieve better film growth, which resulted in a silicon content that was greater than the rinsed sample, but not as high as the neat
Summary
The applications of silanes are extremely diverse, including corrosion protection films [1,2], coupling agents and cross linkers [1,2,3,4], and corner capping agents for nanoparticle molecules such as polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) [5]. Silane coupling agents (general formula R’Si(OR)3 ) are commonly used for providing adhesion between two dissimilar materials and have many properties that make them ideal for providing the chemical attachment in the applications listed above. These properties vary depending on the R’. Of particular interest is the formation of the silane film on the substrate surface, and it is for this reason that propyltrimethoxysilane (PTMS) and propyldimethylmethoxysilane (PDMMS) were chosen for this study on the formation of silane films on HOPG.
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