Analysis of Chemical Composition of Biopolymers and Biomaterials: An XPS Study

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is a surface-sensitive technique that gives information on the elemental composition of materials as well as on the chemical state of the elements. Here, the basic principles of XPS are presented. Information on the determination of functional groups is given, and the assistance of chemical derivatization is presented. Some problems related to XPS analysis are mentioned as well. The application of XPS is shown on various examples of polymers with functionalized surfaces or with deposited coatings.