Abstract
The oligothiophene derivative (4-(5″″-tetradecyl-[2,2′;5′,2″;5″,2″′;5″′,2″″] pentathiophen-5-yl)-butyric acid (C14-5TBA) was synthesized and the structural and mechanical properties of self-assembled monolayers on mica have been studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The films were prepared by drop casting a dilute THF solution (1mM) of the oligothiphene on mica. Islands containing primarily monolayers with a very small percentage of multilayers were formed. The molecules adsorb through the carboxylic group, and expose the alkyl chain (CH2)13CH3. High resolution AFM scans reveal a well ordered structure of molecules with unit cell dimensions of 0.65 and 0.46 nm. Applying load to the tip, the molecular film was gradually compressed from an initial height of 4.1nm to a final one of 2.6 nm, corresponding to atilt of the alkyl chains. In regions covered with bilayers the molecules in the second layer were oriented opposite to those in the first layer, thus exposing the carboxylic end group to the air. These second layer was easily removed as the tip pressure increased.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Skotheim, T. A.; Elsenbaumer, R. L.; Reynolds, J. R. Handbook of Conducting Polymers; Marcel Dekker: New York, 1998.
Fichou, D. Handbook of Oligo- and Polythiophenes; Wiley-VCH: New York, 1998.
(a) Dimitropoulos, C. D.; Malenfant, P. R. L. Adv. Mater. 2002, 14, 99. (b) Huitema, H. E. A.; Gelinck, G. H.; van der Putten, J. B. P. H.; Kuijk, K. E.; Hart, C. M.; Cantatore, E.; Herwig, P. T.; van Breemen, A. J. M. M.; de Leeuw, D. M. Nature 2001, 414, 599. (c) Babel, A.; Jenekhe, S. A. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 13656.
See references contained in: Mullen, K.; Wegner, G. Electronic Materials: The Oligomer Approach; Wiley-VCH: New York, 1998.
(a) Bader, M. M.; Custelcean, R.; Ward, M. D. Chem. Mater. 2002, 15, 616. (b) Facchetti, A.; Mushrush, M.; Katz, H. E.; Marks., T. J. Adv. Mater. 2003, 15, 33. (c) Chesterfield, R. J.; Newman, C. R.; Pappenfus, T. M.; Ewbank, P. C.; Haukaas, M. H.; Mann, K. R.; Miller, L. L.; Frisbie, C. D. Adv. Mater. 2003, 15, 1279. (d) Halik, M.; Klauk, H.; Zschieschang, U.; Schmid, G.; Ponomarenko, S.; Kirchmeyer, S.; Weber, W. Adv. Mater. 2003, 15, 91. (e) Facchetti, A.; Yoon, M.-H.; Stern, C. L.; Katz, H. E.; Marks, T. J. Angew. Chem. 2003, 115, 4030. (f) Videlot, C.; Ackermann, J.; Blanchard, P.; Raimundo, J.-M.; Frere, P.; Allain, M.; de Bettignies, R.; Levillain, E.; Roncali, J. Adv. Mater. 2003, 15, 306
Horowitz, G.; Bachet, B.; Yassar, A.; Lang, P.; Demanze, F.; Fave, L.-L.; Garnier, F. Chem. Mater. 1995, 7, 1337.
Servet, B.; Horowitz, G.; Ries, S.; Lagorsse, O.; Alnot, P.; Yassar, A.; Deloffre, F.; Srivastava, P.; Hajlaoui, R.; Lang, P.; Garnier, F. Chem. Mater. 1994, 6, 1809–1815.
Fichou, D. J. Mater. Chem. 2000, 10, 571–588.
(a) Bjornholm, T.; Hassenkam, T.; Reitzel, N. J. Mater. Chem. 1999, 9, 1975–1990 (b) Reitzel, N.; Greve. D.R.; Kjaer, K.; Howes, P.B.; Jayaraman, M.; Savoy, S.; McCullough, R.D.; McDevitt, J.T.; Bjornholm, T. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 5788–5800
Sanberg, H.; Henze, O.; Sirringhaus, H.; Kilbinger, A.; Feast, W.; Friend, R. Proc. SPIE 2001, 4466, 35–43.
Schenning, A.; Kilbinger, A.; Biscarini, F.; Cavallini, M.; Cooper, H.; Derrick, P.; Feast, W.; Lazzaroni, R.; Leclere, Ph.; McDonell, L.; Meijer, E.; Meskers, S. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 1269–1275.
Chen, J.; Murphy, A. R.; Esteve, J.; Ogletree, D. F.; Salmeron, M.; Frechet, J. M. J.; Langmuir 2004; 20; 7703–7710.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ratera, I., Chen, J., Murphy, A. et al. Mechanical Properties of Oligothiophene Self Assembled Films by Atomic Force Microscopy. MRS Online Proceedings Library 871, 85 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-871-I8.5
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-871-I8.5