ADSORPTION OF ORGANIC MONOLAYERS ON PYRITE (FES2)(100)

A systematic study has been carried out in order to investigate the po ssibility to grow ultrathin organic films by self-assembly on pyrite ( FeS2) from solutions of triphenylphosphine, n-alkanethiols and n-alkyl amines. The adsorption of the different molecules on pyrite(100) surfa ces was studied with regard to chemical composition using X-ray photoe lectron spectroscopy and with regard to molecular orientation by near- edge X-ray absorption fine structure and IR spectroscopy. Triphenylpho sphine readily adsorbs from a solution in ethanol and forms dense mono layers. The adsorption of n-alkylamines is found to result in the form ation of highly oriented films. n-alkanethiols, which form well define d monolayers on Au, Ag and Cu surfaces are not found to adsorb on pyri te from solutions in ethanol.