SELF-ASSEMBLED ORGANIC FILMS ON GOLD AND SILVER

The formation of self-assembled organic monolayers and multilayers on noble metals is reported. Self-assembly was achieved by chemisorption of disulfide compounds from solutions onto gold and silver substrates. The ultrathin films were examined by grazing incidence IR spectroscopy, wettability and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The molecules within the layers are preferentially oriented along the surface normal, tightly packed and essentially pin-hole free. They show thermal stability up to 150-degrees-C. Wetting properties are mainly determined by the terminal groups of the molecules forming the monolayer. A three layer superlattice was built up by a reaction sequence.