title: Surface-driven porphyrin self-assembly on pre-activated Si substrates.
abstract: Self-assembled molecular thin films of melamine-bridged bis-porphyrin dyad, both in free form, P(H2)P(H2), or as Zn(II) metallated complex, P(Zn)P(Zn), were deposited on crystalline Si(100) by soaking or drop-casting techniques. The influence of the adopted preparation methodology, the substrate surface pre-activation procedure and the used solvent (THF or CHCl3) on the morphology and surface coverage of the resulting films was investigated by FE-SEM (Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy) and AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy). The chemical composition and electronic structure of the most promising systems were also addressed by XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy). The results pointed out that an accurate tuning of porphyrin-porphyrin, porphyrin-substrate and porphyrin-solvent molecular interactions allow to tailor the morphogenesis and chemico-physical properties of the final self-assembled films. In addition, preliminary gas sensing tests evidenced the potential of the present porphyrin-based films for the development of new molecular sensing devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Padova University and INSTM, Via Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carofiglio
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Comini
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gasparotto
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lubian
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maccato
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sberveglieri
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000737:chemistry*; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011166:Porphyrins; D012825:Silicon