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.