title: Wet formation and structural characterization of quasi-hexagonal monolayers.
abstract: We have presented a simple and efficient method for producing dense particle monolayers with controlled surface coverage. The method is based on particle sedimentation, manipulation of the particle-substrate electrostatic interaction, and gentle mechanical vibration of the system. It allows for obtaining quasi-hexagonal structures under wet conditions. Using this method, we have produced a monolayer of 3 μm silica particles on a glassy carbon substrate. By optical microscopy, we have determined the coordinates of the particles and surface coverage of the obtained structure to be 0.82. We have characterized the monolayer structure by means of the pair-correlation function and power spectrum. We have also compared the results with those for a 2D hexagonal monolayer and monolayer generated by random sequential adsorption at the coverage 0.50. We have found the surface fractal dimension to be 2.5, independently of the monolayer surface coverage.
authors.affiliation: Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 8, 30-239 Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: ncbatys@cyf-kr.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Batys
authors.affiliation: Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 8, 30-239 Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weroński
authors.affiliation: Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 8, 30-239 Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nosek
keywords: Hexagonal monolayer; Pair-correlation function; Particle deposition; Particle sedimentation; Power spectrum