Sa. Prokhorova et al., Epitaxial adsorption of monodendron-jacketed linear polymers on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite, LANGMUIR, 16(17), 2000, pp. 6862-6867
Linear polymers with monodendron side groups adsorb on highly oriented pyro
lytic graphite (HOPG) in a remarkably regular pattern. The wormlike molecul
es have been depicted individually by scanning force microscopy with their
long axis aligned according to the S-fold symmetry of HOPG. The positional
and orientational order of the adsorbed molecules is explained by the speci
fic interaction of the alkyl substituents of the monodendrons with the HOPG
surface. Direct evidence of the epitaxial adsorption was found by scanning
tunneling microscopy of monolayers of the monomeric dendrons on HOPG. Orde
ring depended on the number of the alkoxy substitutes on the monodendrons.
If the substitution of the monodendrons by the alkoxy groups was too dense,
regular adsorption of the alkyl tails was impeded.