This process is still commonly used today. Hall developed an inexpensive electrolytic process for extracting aluminum from the ore bauxite. The biggest breakthrough came in 1886, when C. While ancient civilizations used aluminum salts for dyeing mordants and astringents, it wasn’t until 1825 that H. After Ar+ sputtering, the reactive surface may adsorb oxygen and reform oxides.These may react with atmospheric CO 2 to form surface carbonates.Aluminium oxide may be hydrated with the presence of hydroxide species.The thickness of the oxide film may vary depending upon any previous cleaning treatment.Aluminium is a highly reactive metal so as received metal always has a surface oxide present.Compounds, such as Al oxide, have symmetric Al2p peaks.Metallic Al2p peak is ideally fit with asymmetric peak shapes.Splitting may be ignored for Al2p peaks from aluminium compounds, such as Al oxide.Manifests as asymmetry in peak rather than outright splitting. Splitting only observed for Al metal and under typical experimental conditions,.Al2p peak has closely spaced spin-orbit components (Δ metal=0.44eV).This effect allows XPS to measure the thickness of Al oxide films.The relative intensities of the oxide and metallic peaks will also change with oxide.Aluminium oxide is an insulating material and the oxide peak position may vary with the.In the presence of high platinum or copper concentrations, acquire Al2s as well as (or instead of).Silicate and alumina referenced to adventitious C1s peak at 284.8eV Experimental Information Oxide/foil referenced to Al2p metal peak. Binding energies of common chemical states: