title: Evolution of conformational order during self-assembly of n-alkanethiols on Hg droplets: an infrared spectromicroscopy study.
abstract: This Letter describes Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy evidence for the evolution of conformational order and coverage during the formation of n-alkanethiol monolayers on microdroplets of mercury from the solution phase. At the highest coverages obtained by self-assembly, the monolayer is characterized by predominantly all-trans conformational order. For partial monolayers obtained at arbitrarily quenched incubation periods, we find a continuous evolution of the chain conformational order with monolayer coverage. Analyzing these results in light of previously reported models from X-ray scattering reveals a complex self-assembly process in which the density-dependent evolution of the chain conformational order is coupled with that of molecular orientation and density.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, California 95616, United States.
authors.forename: Christopher B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Babayco
authors.forename: Pauline J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Donald P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Land
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kiehl
authors.forename: Atul N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Parikh
mesh_terms: D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D008628:Mercury / Q000737:chemistry*; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D006046:Gold; D008628:Mercury