Gl. Fisher et al., The interaction of vapor-deposited Al atoms with CO2H groups at the surface of a self-assembled alkanethiolate monolayer on gold, J PHYS CH B, 104(14), 2000, pp. 3267-3273
The interaction of vapor-deposited Al atoms with self-assembled monolayers
of HS(CH2)(15)CO2H chemisorbed at polycrystalline Au(111) surfaces has been
studied using time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry, X-ray photoe
lectron spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. The Al deposition was perf
ormed incrementally at room temperature. The Al atoms do not penetrate into
the organic monolayer, but rather they remain at the vacuum interface wher
e they undergo chemical interactions solely with the CO2H groups. Reaction
of the CO2H groups continues until slightly more than one atom per reacting
group is deposited, on average; thereafter, no further reaction is observe
d. However, 20-25% of the CO2H groups remain unreacted, regardless of the A
l coverage. These results are explained on the basis of a combination of ch
emical and steric effects.