Abstract
Metastable induced electron spectroscopy, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy as well as atomic force microscopy were employed to study the adsorption of silver on cellulose as well as its precursor cellobiose. The formation of silver nanoparticles encapsulated by the organic film previously found for the monomer glucose is well reproduced for the dimer cellobiose. For the polymer cellulose on the other hand, no nanoparticle formation is found even though the surface is covered with silver atoms. No significant chemical interaction is found in any of these cases.