XPS was applied to PMMA layers of varying thickness in the nanometer range on gold and natural aluminium surfaces, respectively. The numerical decomposition of the core levels into the contributions from the various atomic bonding states reveals some peculiar features of the interphase region to the metals. First, for both metals special mechanisms of thermal destruction are deduced. O n A u the splitting of complete methacrylate side groups and, even more intense, the stripping of (-0-CH,)-units is found while on Al the side group scission is verified only. Secondly, the metals reveal different effects on the electron density in the methacrylate groups. Au appears to be inert but the natural Al surface exerts a withdrawing effect on the electrons of both the carbon and the oxygen atoms in the side groups.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.