Surface science
Surface science is the study of
History
The field of surface chemistry started with
Chemistry
Surface chemistry can be roughly defined as the study of chemical reactions at interfaces. It is closely related to surface engineering, which aims at modifying the chemical composition of a surface by incorporation of selected elements or functional groups that produce various desired effects or improvements in the properties of the surface or interface. Surface science is of particular importance to the fields of heterogeneous catalysis, electrochemistry, and geochemistry.
Catalysis
The adhesion of gas or liquid molecules to the surface is known as adsorption. This can be due to either chemisorption or physisorption, and the strength of molecular adsorption to a catalyst surface is critically important to the catalyst's performance (see Sabatier principle). However, it is difficult to study these phenomena in real catalyst particles, which have complex structures. Instead, well-defined single crystal surfaces of catalytically active materials such as platinum are often used as model catalysts. Multi-component materials systems are used to study interactions between catalytically active metal particles and supporting oxides; these are produced by growing ultra-thin films or particles on a single crystal surface.[9]
Relationships between the composition, structure, and chemical behavior of these surfaces are studied using
Electrochemistry
Electrochemistry is the study of processes driven through an applied potential at a solid-liquid or liquid-liquid interface. The behavior of an electrode-electrolyte interface is affected by the distribution of ions in the liquid phase next to the interface forming the
Geochemistry
Geologic phenomena such as
Physics
Surface physics can be roughly defined as the study of physical interactions that occur at interfaces. It overlaps with surface chemistry. Some of the topics investigated in surface physics include
Analysis techniques
The study and analysis of surfaces involves both physical and chemical analysis techniques.
Several modern methods probe the topmost 1–10 nm of
Purely optical techniques can be used to study interfaces under a wide variety of conditions. Reflection-absorption infrared, dual polarisation interferometry, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and sum frequency generation spectroscopy can be used to probe solid–vacuum as well as solid–gas, solid–liquid, and liquid–gas surfaces. Multi-parametric surface plasmon resonance works in solid–gas, solid–liquid, liquid–gas surfaces and can detect even sub-nanometer layers.[16] It probes the interaction kinetics as well as dynamic structural changes such as liposome collapse[17] or swelling of layers in different pH. Dual-polarization interferometry is used to quantify the order and disruption in birefringent thin films.[18] This has been used, for example, to study the formation of lipid bilayers and their interaction with membrane proteins.
Acoustic techniques, such as Quartz Crystal Microbalance with dissipation monitoring, is used for time-resolved measurements of solid-vacuum, solid-gas and solid-liquid interfaces. The method allows for analysis of molecule-surface interactions as well as structural changes and viscoelastic properties of the adlayer.
X-ray scattering and spectroscopy techniques are also used to characterize surfaces and interfaces. While some of these measurements can be performed using
Modern physical analysis methods include scanning-tunneling microscopy (STM) and a family of methods descended from it, including atomic force microscopy (AFM). These microscopies have considerably increased the ability and desire of surface scientists to measure the physical structure of many surfaces. For example, they make it possible to follow reactions at the solid–gas interface in real space, if those proceed on a time scale accessible by the instrument.[22][23]
See also
- Interface (matter) – Boundary between volumes of matter of different types or states
- Kelvin probe force microscope – Noncontact variant of atomic force microscopy
- Micromeritics – Science and technology of small particles
- Surface modification of biomaterials with proteins
- Surface finishing – Range of processes that alter the surface of an item to achieve a certain property
- Surface modification – Act of modifying the surface of a material
- Surface phenomenon– Study of physical and chemical phenomena that occur at the interface of two phases
- Tribology – Science and engineering of interacting surfaces in relative motion
References
- ISBN 978-0-19-853476-1.
- ^ Luklema, J. (1995–2005). Fundamentals of Interface and Colloid Science. Vol. 1–5. Academic Press.
- ^ Wennerström, Håkan; Lidin, Sven. "Scientific Background on the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2007 Chemical Processes on Solid Surfaces" (PDF).
- .
- .
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- doi:10.1063/1.438041.
- .
- .
- .
- PMID 11851445.
- .
- ISSN 2211-2855.
- .
- .
- .
- PMID 24564782.
- ^
Mashaghi, A; Swann, M; Popplewell, J; Textor, M; Reimhult, E (2008). "Optical Anisotropy of Supported Lipid Structures Probed by Waveguide Spectroscopy and Its Application to Study of Supported Lipid Bilayer Formation Kinetics". PMID 18422336.
- .
- S2CID 55577979.
- S2CID 43739895.
- PMID 9395392.
- PMID 22571820.
Further reading
- Kolasinski, Kurt W. (2012-04-30). Surface Science: Foundations of Catalysis and Nanoscience (3 ed.). Wiley. ISBN 978-1119990352.
- Attard, Gary; Barnes, Colin (January 1998). Surfaces. Oxford Chemistry Primers. ISBN 978-0198556862.
External links
- "Ram Rao Materials and Surface Science", a video from the Vega Science Trust
- Surface Chemistry Discoveries
- Surface Metrology Guide