The adsorption and stability of sulfur containing amino acids on Cu{531}

Thomsen, L., Wharmby, M. T., Riley, D. P., Held, G. and Gladys, M. J. (2009) The adsorption and stability of sulfur containing amino acids on Cu{531}. Surface Science, 603 (9). 1253-1261 . ISSN 0039-6028 doi: 10.1016/j.susc.2009.03.014

Abstract/Summary

The adsorption of L-CySteine and L-methionine amino acids on a chiral Cu{5 3 1} surface was investigated with high resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and carbon K-edge near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) Spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation. XPS shows that at 300 K L-cysteine adsorbs through two oxygen, a nitrogen and a sulfur atom, in a four point 'quadrangular footprint', whereas L-methionine adsorbs through only two oxygen and a nitrogen atom in a 'triangular footprint'. NEWS was used to clarify the adsorption geometry of both molecules, which suggests a binding orientation to the top layer and second layer atoms in two different orientations associated with adsorption sites on {1 1 0} and {3 1 1} microfacets; of the Cu{5 3 1} surface. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.