title: Morphology and Composition of Structured, Phase-Separated Behenic Acid-Perfluorotetradecanoic Acid Monolayer Films.
abstract: The phase separation of immiscible surfactants in mixed monolayer films provides an approach to physically manipulate important properties of thin films, including surface morphology, microscale composition, and mechanical properties. In this work, we predict, based upon existing miscibility studies and their thermodynamic underpinnings described in the literature, the miscibility and film morphology of mixed monolayers comprised of behenic acid (C21H43COOH) and perfluorotetradecanoic acid (C13F27COOH) in various molar ratios. Predictions are tested using a combination of experimental surface characterization methods for probing miscibility and film morphology at the solid/air and air/water interfaces. Film components were immiscible and phase-separated into chemically well-defined domains under a variety of experimental conditions, with monolayer morphology consistent with initial predictions. The extensibility of these basic predictions to other systems is discussed in the context of using these works for different perfluorinated surfactant molecules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan , 110 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5C9, Canada.
authors.forename: Jeveria
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rehman
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan , 110 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5C9, Canada.
authors.forename: Hessamaddin Younesi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Araghi
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta-nanoFAB , W1-060 ECERF Building, 9107-116 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2V4, Canada.
authors.forename: Anqiang
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan , 110 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5C9, Canada.
authors.forename: Matthew F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Paige