Interaction of electrochemically deposited aluminium nanoparticles with reactive gases

Metastable induced electron spectroscopy (MIES), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to study the interaction of nanocrystalline aluminium with oxygen and carbon monoxide, respectively. High resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) was used to investigate the morphology of the nanocrystalline aluminium films. These films were prepared by electrodeposition from the ionic liquid 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide containing 1.6 Mol per litre AlCl3 in an argon filled glove box.Only a slight oxidation under exposure to oxygen and carbon monoxide was observed. After carbon monoxide dosage, no significant amount of carbon contamination was detected on the sample. These results indicate that the nanocrystalline aluminium is rather inert.