G. Mike Bancroft
Professor
B.Sc. (Manitoba), M.Sc. (Manitoba)
Ph.D. (Cambridge), Sc.D. (Cambridge)
FRSC
O.C.
D.Sc. (Hon) Western Ontario
D.Sc. (Hon) Manitoba
D.Cl. (Hon) St. John’s College, Manitoba
Office: Chemistry 070
Phone: (519) 661-4117
Fax: (519) 661-3022
Synchrotron Radiation Studies, High Resolution Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Geochemical Surface Studies, Tribochemical Studies
Awards:
• Bucke Award
• CIC Medal
• Morley Award
• Steacie Fellow
• Guggenheim Fellow
• Meldola Medal
• Alcan Award
• Herzberg Award
• Harrison Prize
• Rutherford Medal
• Montreal Medal
• Officer of the Order of Canada
Current Research Programs:
My research is divided into three areas: first, spectroscopic studies
(photoelectron, Auger, resonance Auger, photoabsorption) in the UV-soft
X-ray region (20 eV-4,000 eV) on inorganic and organometallic molecules,
minerals, and thin films using monochromatized synchrotron radiation at
the Canadian Light Source (CLS) in Saskatoon; second, tribochemical
studies of antiwear films from engine oil additives; and third,
photoelectron studies of non-conductor minerals and glasses.
NEXAFS spectra (at the P and S L-edge and K-edge, B and O K-edge, Zn
L-edge) have been extremely useful for characterizing the thickness and
the chemical state of elements in antiwear films obtained by
decomposition of Zn dithiophosphates (ZDDP) and other novel antiwear
compounds in engine oil. The mechanism of this decomposition, often with
dispersants and detergents (and in commercial engine oils), is being
elucidated with the aim of improving the antiwear performance of these
films , and in developing new antiwear additives. This work is being
performed in collaboration with Chevron Oil Co. in Richmond,
California.
The new Kratos XPS in Surface Science Western is being used to obtain
high resolution spectra of non-conductors at optimal resolutions. The
resolution is now greatly enhanced so that we can quantify the ratio of
“bonding” to “non-bonding” oxygens in silicate and germinate glasses
using the O 1s spectra, and determine the initial surface dissolution
mechanisms of silicate minerals. Fundamental linewidth studies (using
high resolution synchrotron radiation at the CLS at very low
temperatures) are being undertaken to determine the controlling factors
on the magnitude of non-conductor linewidths.
Selected Publications: H.W. Nesbitt, G.M. Bancroft, G.S. Henderson, R.Ho, K. Dalby, Y Huang and Z. Yan, 2011, Bridging and Non-bridging Oxygen in Na2O-SiO2 glasses: Comparison of X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Results, Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 357, 170-180. L.G. Yu, E.S. Yamaguchi, M. Kasrai, and G.M. Bancroft, 2011, Study of Si-based additives:Wear and Chemistry, Tribology International, 44 , 692-701. J.G. Zhou, J. Thompson, J. Cutler, R. Blyth, M. Kasrai, G.M. Bancroft, and E. Yamaguchi, 2010, Resolving the Chemical Variation in Thin ZDDP Tribolfilms by X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy using Synchrotron Radiation: Evidence for Ultraphosphates and Organic P and S Compounds. Tribology Letters, 39, 101-107. G.M. Bancroft, H.W. Nesbitt, R.Ho, D.M. Shaw, J.S. Tse and M.C. Biesinger, 2009, Towards a Comprehensive Understanding od Solid State Core-Level XPS Linewidths: Experimental and Theoretical Studies on the Si 2p and O 1s Linewidths in Silicates, Phys. Rev. B, 80, 075405 (1-13). R. Puttner , Y.F.Hu , G.M. Bancroft, A. Kivimaki, H. Aksela, and S. Aksela, 2008, Detailed Analysis of the Br 3d-1nl ( n=6-9 ) resonant Auger Spectra of HBr, Physical ReviewA, 77, 032705 (1-8).
