Vapor adsorption in thin silicalite-1 films studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry

Thin films of silicalite-1 grown on silicon substrates were studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry. Analysis of spectra using an optical model consisting of a single porous layer on silicon yielded average film thicknesses of 84 and 223 nm for films synthesized for 10 and 30 h. Void fraction for the films was 0.32-0.33. Vapor adsorption from a nitrogen carrier gas at room temperature was monitored by ellipsometry. Isotherms for different adsorbates were obtained by analysis of spectra taken at different Vapor concentrations using an optical model where the void volume was filled with both nitrogen and condensed vapors. Quantification of the condensed vapor amount was based on the changes in refractive index when adsorbates replaced nitrogen in the pores. Adsorbate volumes for water, toluene, 1-propanol, and hexane were 0.13, 0.12, 0.15, and 0.17 cm(3) liquid g(-1) film, respectively.