XPS OF THE INTERPHASE BETWEEN PMMA AND METALS - A STUDY OF DEGRADATION AND INTERACTION

XPS was applied to PMMA layers of varying thickness in the nanometer r ange on gold and natural aluminium surfaces, respectively. The numeric al decomposition of the core levels into the contributions from the va rious atomic bonding states reveals some peculiar features of the inte rphase region to the metals. First, for both metals special mechanisms of thermal destruction are deduced. On Au the splitting of complete m ethacrylate side groups and, even more intense, the stripping of(-O-CH 3)-units is found while on Al the side group scission is verified only . Secondly, the metals reveal different effects on the electron densit y in the methacrylate groups. Au appears to be inert but the natural A l surface exerts a withdrawing effect on the electrons of both the car bon and the oxygen atoms in the side groups.