CEM 419
Surface and Interface Analysis
Fall 1999

We are grateful to the National Science Foundation for their support in the development and implementation of this course through grant NSF DUE-9850822.
This course provides a detailed discussion and series of experiments on the characterization of interfaces.  This is a topic that receives little or no attention in the traditional chemistry curriculum.  Characterization of organic-modified surfaces that may be useful in materials and/or sensing applications are studied.  While several different types of interfaces are covered, the central focus of the course is on the experimental characterization of alkanethiol monolayers on gold.  Students monitor monolayer growth in real time using a quartz crystal microbalance; determine monolayer thickness and organization using optical ellipsometry and reflectance FTIR; and use cyclic voltammetry and contact angle measurements to probe the physical properties of the monolayers.

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Course Overview  (Presentation from the National ACS Meeting Fall 1999 New Orleans, LA)

Syllabus

Laboratory Experiments

Homework Assignments and Literature Resources

Laboratory Experiments Adapted for Analytical/Physical Laboratory I (CEM 372)


Last update: July 6, 2000 by Kathryn G. Severin
Department of Chemistry
Michigan State University