Ultrathin Free-Standing Oxide Membranes for Electron and Photon Spectroscopy Studies of Solid-Gas and Solid-Liquid Interfaces.

Lu, Yi-Hsien; Morales, Carlos; Zhao, Xiao; van Spronsen, Matthijs A; Baskin, Artem; Prendergast, David; Yang, Peidong; Bechtel, Hans A et al. · Nano Lett · 2020

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Free-standing ultrathin (∼2 nm) films of several oxides (Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>,TiO<sub>2</sub>, and others) have been developed, which are mechanically robust and transparent to electrons with <i>E</i><sub>kin</sub> ≥ 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.