Self-organized ring pattern of a samarium complex in Langmuir-Blodgett films

Self-organized domains in ring pattern of a samarium complex bounded by a b eta -diketone ligand TTA-Sm(TTA)(3)Phen (TTA denotes thenoyltrifluoroaceton e; Phen denotes 1,10-phenanthroline) were assembled by the Langmuir-Blodget t (LB) film technique. The domain pattern was observed by Brewster angle mi croscopy (BAM) at the air/liquid interface and by atomic force microscopy ( AFM) on mica. A scheme is proposed for the ring domain formation on conside ring components in aqueous subphase and the structure of samarium complexes . The subphase containing the samarium complex and the ligands; is a fundam ental condition for the stable existence of this samarium complex at the ai r/liquid interface. Stearic acid (SA) was mixed with the samarium complex, which formed highly ordered round domains producing a gradient electric fie ld. Sm(TTA)(3)Phen molecules move towards and nucleate at the edge of the S A domains under electrostatic forces, resulting in the formation of a ring domain. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science BY. All rights reserved.