In-Situ/Liquid Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) for Environmental Interfaces
EMSL Project ID
36601
Abstract
Chemistry of liquid interfaces is extremely important in environmental and industrial processes but is poorly understood. Liquid layers coat nearly all real-world systems from the oceans to atmospheric particles, and include surface "brines" that coat rocks and soils, and ice, selective membranes for energy storage and production, important industrial catalysts, and even us. New tools are needed to study these inherently inhomogeneous systems, under realistic conditions of humidity and in the presence of trace and reactive gases. We propose an In-Situ/Liquids Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (ISL-TOFSIMS) system, that will for the first time allow a comprehensive molecular-specific understanding of chemistry at liquid and liquid/solid interfaces. Major recent developments in TOFSIMS (cluster beams) and novel micro-scale chemistry methods make this revolutionary advance possible and timely. The proposed system can measure molecular and ion concentrations, microsecond reaction kinetics with high spatial resolution (120 nm laterally, 1 nm vertically) and 3D mapping capability, and has a unique "in operation" sensitivity calibration. These features will enable exploring pressing issues in interface-specific photochemistry, surface segregation and transport at liquid, brine, ice and mineral surfaces, and transport across aqueous-based membranes and adherent films, all under relevant gaseous conditions.
Project Details
Project type
Exploratory Research
Start Date
2009-10-01
End Date
2010-10-03
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Team Members