Perfluoroalkylether reactions on iron and oxygen covered iron surfaces studied using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry have been used to investigate the reaction of a model perfluoroalkylether (PFAE), CF3 OCF2 CF2 OCF2 CF3, with clean iron, oxygen modified iron and clean gold surfaces. These studies revealed an unexpected low temperature decomposition reaction on clean iron surfaces. The decomposition appeared to proceed through a defluorination of the carbon backbone, followed by a dissociation of the entire molecule. The clean gold and oxygen covered iron surfaces were essentially unreactive toward the PFAE.