Chemical Characterisation of Nanoparticles
The project combines the following techniques for the characterisation of nanoparticles:
- Laser Ablation ICP-MS
- Scanning Electron Microscopy / Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX)
- X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS)
- Time of Flight – Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS)
- Low Energy Ion Scattering (LEIS)
These methods are characteristically different with respect to their detection limits for elements (and partially molecules). Apart from that, their information depth is different. While e.g. Laser Ablation ICP-MS makes it possible to draw conclusions on the overall composition of the nanoparticles, LEIS can identify the composition of the outermost atomic layer of the sample.
The combination of procedures will therefore yield extensive information about the chemical composition and the build up of the analysed nanoparticles.