TY - JOUR
T1 - Gravimetric and density profiling using the combination of surface acoustic waves and neutron reflectivity
AU - Toolan, Daniel T W
AU - Barker, Robert
AU - Gough, Tim
AU - Topham, Paul D.
AU - Hows e, Jonathan R.
AU - Glidle, Andrew
N1 - JH acknowledges the support of the EPSRC – United Kingdom grant EP/H049479/1EPS
PY - 2017/2/1
Y1 - 2017/2/1
N2 - A new approach is described herein, where neutron reflectivity measurements that probe changes in the density profile of thin films as they absorb material from the gas phase have been combined with a Love wave based gravimetric assay that measures the mass of absorbed material. This combination of techniques not only determines the spatial distribution of absorbed molecules, but also reveals the amount of void space within the thin film (a quantity that can be difficult to assess using neutron reflectivity measurements alone). The uptake of organic solvent vapours into spun cast films of polystyrene has been used as a model system with a view to this method having the potential for extension to the study of other systems. These could include, for example, humidity sensors, hydrogel swelling, biomolecule adsorption or transformations of electroactive and chemically reactive thin films. This is the first ever demonstration of combined neutron reflectivity and Love wave-based gravimetry and the experimental caveats, limitations and scope of the method are explored and discussed in detail.
AB - A new approach is described herein, where neutron reflectivity measurements that probe changes in the density profile of thin films as they absorb material from the gas phase have been combined with a Love wave based gravimetric assay that measures the mass of absorbed material. This combination of techniques not only determines the spatial distribution of absorbed molecules, but also reveals the amount of void space within the thin film (a quantity that can be difficult to assess using neutron reflectivity measurements alone). The uptake of organic solvent vapours into spun cast films of polystyrene has been used as a model system with a view to this method having the potential for extension to the study of other systems. These could include, for example, humidity sensors, hydrogel swelling, biomolecule adsorption or transformations of electroactive and chemically reactive thin films. This is the first ever demonstration of combined neutron reflectivity and Love wave-based gravimetry and the experimental caveats, limitations and scope of the method are explored and discussed in detail.
KW - Interfacial characterisation
KW - Love wave gravimetry
KW - Neutron reflectivity
KW - Thin film microstructure
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84993116237&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jcis.2016.10.039
DO - 10.1016/j.jcis.2016.10.039
M3 - Article
C2 - 27814558
VL - 487
SP - 465
EP - 474
JO - Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
JF - Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
SN - 0021-9797
ER -