AXEL

X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) is one of the most widely used surface-analysis techniques for understanding the chemistry of solid materials. By irradiating a material with monochromated X-rays and measuring the kinetic energies of emitted photoelectrons, XPS provides surface-sensitive information on elemental composition, chemical states, bonding environments, oxidation states, and electronic structure from the top ~1–10 nm of a material.

At AXEL, XPS analysis is performed using a Thermo Scientific ESCALAB QXi XPS Microprobe, a highly sensitive, multi-technique surface-analysis platform designed for advanced spectroscopy, small-area analysis, XPS imaging, and depth profiling. The system supports micro-focused monochromated Al Kα and Ag Lα X-ray sources, selectable analysis areas, charge neutralization for insulating samples, and both monoatomic and gas-cluster Ar⁺ ion sources for in-situ surface cleaning and depth profiling of suitable materials.

What XPS can help determine

• Surface elemental composition and atomic percentages
• Chemical states, oxidation states, and bonding environments
• Surface contamination, oxidation, passivation, and functional groups
• Differences between treated, untreated, coated, aged, or modified surfaces
• Surface chemistry changes after processing, exposure, or cleaning.
• Valence-band and near-surface electronic-structure information, when required

XPS supports surface chemistry studies across a wide range of academic, industrial, and applied research areas, including:

• Materials Science and Metallurgy: Thin films, coatings, adhesion layers, surface treatments, corrosion products, passivation, and oxidation of metals and alloys.
• Energy Storage and Conversion: Battery electrodes, solid-electrolyte interphases, supercapacitors, fuel cells, solar cells, electrocatalysts, and photoelectrodes.
• Catalysis: Catalyst surfaces, active-site chemistry, support materials, oxidation states, adsorbed species, and changes after reaction, aging, or regeneration.
• Nanomaterials and Carbon-Based Materials: Graphene, carbon nanotubes, MXenes, carbon black, carbon papers, activated carbon, nanoparticles, quantum dots, and functionalized surfaces.
• Micro- & Nano-electronics: Wafers, thin films, native oxides, interfaces, dopants, surface contamination, and semiconductor  materials.
• Polymers, Coatings, and Surface Modification: Functional groups, plasma or chemical treatments, polymer coatings, adhesion, degradation, oxidation, and surface contamination.
• Biomedical and Biomaterials Research: Implant materials, biosensors, antimicrobial coatings, biocompatible coatings, and biomaterial interfaces.
• Environmental, Mineral, and Construction Materials: Minerals, soils, oxides, adsorbents, carbon materials, cement-based materials, silicates, carbonates, and contaminant interactions.
• Ceramics, Glass, Cement, and Composite Materials: Surface composition, silicates, carbonates, oxides, hydration products, coatings, fillers, fibers, interfacial chemistry, and treated or aged surfaces.
• Product Development, Failure Analysis, and Quality Control: Comparison of treated and untreated surfaces, identification of surface contamination, verification of coating chemistry, assessment of cleaning or processing effects, and troubleshooting of unexpected surface chemistry.

TEM is a powerful nanoscale characterization technique that enables high-resolution imaging, crystallographic analysis, and chemical characterization down to the atomic scale.

AXEL provides TEM services to academic, industrial, and government users across a wide range of materials systems.