Laser-induced thermal desorption with Fourier transform mass spectrometry for the time resolved analysis of catalyst and biomedical implant model surface molecular composition

Laser-induced thermal desorption with Fourier transform mass spectrometry is used to analyze the surface molecular composition of several samples containing complex mixtures of adsorbates. Data are presented for the formation of benzene and thiophene from acetylene on a sulfur-treated Pd(111) surface showing the utility of this technique for monitoring changes in surface composition on catalyst models. Also, time dependent data are shown for the formation of benzene from acetylene on clean Pd(111). The data are first order, lending insight into the mechanism. Finally, a new technique for deflection of laser-formed ions to allow analysis of the coadsorbed organics is described and used to analyze the surface composition of oxidized Ti foils used as biomedical implant models.