Static SIMS studies of carboxylic acids on gold and aluminium-magnesium alloy surfaces

Static secondary ion mass spectrometry was used to study the surface reactions and lateral distributions of fatty carboxylic acid molecules on sputter-deposited gold and aluminium surfaces, as well as commercial aluminium-magnesium alloy surfaces, cleaned using UV/ozone. Films were prepared by spin coating dilute solutions of stearic acid and lauric acid onto the above surfaces. These carboxylic acids were shown to react with the oxide formed on the aluminium and aluminum-magnesium alloy substrates to produce a deprotonated acid anion, stabilized by the formation of a magnesium soap on the aluminium-magnesium alloy surface. Secondary ion imaging of stearic acid films revealed the formation of C-type crystals. Copyright (C) 2003 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.