XPS utilization in the characterization of glycerol based polyesters

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy-XPS allows the determination of all elements of the periodical table, except hydrogen and helium, and is a very used technique for the polymers characterization, its spectra constitutes a 'fingerprint' of the material. Two samples of polymers were prepared from glycerol and fumaric acid and glycerol and terephthalic acid, with a molar ratio of 1:1 and 1:1.5. The general spectra show the presence of carbon and oxygen, the main components of the polymer. From the binding energies values of the C1s and O1s high resolution spectra it was possible to determine the carbon functional groups. Their concentration were determined and the presence of the aromatic carbon in the terephthalic polyesters was observed, and also similar proportions of aliphatic carbon and ester groups in the fumaric acid polyesters. For both polyesters, an amount of carboxyl group appears, indicating the terminal non-reacted groups. These results were confirmed qualitatively by FTIR. (author)