Chemically Stimulated Exo-Electron Emission

Cooper, Maureen E (1978) Chemically Stimulated Exo-Electron Emission. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This thesis begins with a review of exo-electron emission i.e. the release of slow (<10eV) electrons from solid surfaces when they are altered by abrasion, plastic deformation, oxidation or chemisorption. Exo-electron emission is also observed during magnetic and non-magnetic phase changes and after irradiation of solids with ionising radiation i.e. alpha, beta, gamma rays or neutrons. In the next part of the thesis there are described the problems associated with detection of exo-electrons: either they have been recorded in gas counters, where the surface has to be exposed to a counting-gas mixture, or they have been recorded under ultra high vacuum conditions. The first aim of the research therefore was to develop a detector which could be used for in-situ studies of gas-solid interactions, that is without the need to switch to counting gases or ultra high vacuum. This was accomplished by the evolution of such a counter through five designs. The successful counter was unusual in that a wire filament, which could be heated electrically, was placed inside a proportional counter. Gas-solid interactions could be studied on this filament. The electronic characteristics of the system were established by calculation, calibration and field plotting. It was shown that the field gradient at the filament surface was 13x10e3 V cm-1 i.e. the filament was not operating under field emission conditions. The third section of the thesis is concerned with the exploitation of the counter. It was discovered that exposure of a heated platinum filament to Q gas (90% Argon, 10% methane) gave an excellent exo-emission source. This type of carbided filament was heated to 900

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Physical chemistry, Nuclear chemistry
• Date of Award: 1978
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1978-78779
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 30 Jan 2020 14:55
• Last Modified: 30 Jan 2020 14:55
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/78779