Electroless deposition of gold films under organized monolayers

The electroless formation of Sold deposits having a high 2D character along the surface or aqueous hydrogen tetrachloroaurate solutions coated by a po sitively charged dimethyldioctadecylammonium (DODA) monolayer is reported. In contrast, no 2D metallic deposit is formed under monolayers prepared fro m negatively charged or neutral surfactant. Cyclic-voltammetry and chronopo tentiometry experiments have established the importance of the organization of the DODA molecules at the gas/liquid interface on the formation of the deposits. In situ microscopic observations reveal that increasing the sold ions concentration in the subphase promotes 3D thickening of the metallic d eposits to the detriment of their 2D growth along the interface. (C) 2000 T he Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.