Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026

The Evolution of Silica Nanoparticle-polyester Coatings on Surfaces Exposed to Sunlight
Published on: October 11, 2016
The surface chelate effect
1Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
Abstract:
The presence of a surface chelate effect is established in the model system of Cu2+ adsorption on a self-assembled monolayer of 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid (MHA) on Au. The formation constant of Cu2+ with the MHA surface was found to be 119 +/- 3.2 times greater than that of Cu2+ with succinic acid (HOOC-(CH2)2-COOH), and 213 +/- 4.0 times greater than that of Cu2+ with glutaric acid (HOOC-(CH2)3-COOH) in aqueous solutions. Both of these molecules are known to chelate to metal ions forming seven- and eight-membered rings. The greater surface chelate effect is attributed to the presence of the two-dimensional array of ligands on the surface. We believe the surface chelate effect demonstrated here is of general significance to adsorption on molecular surfaces and should depend strongly on chemical functionality and monolayer structure.
Related Concept Videos
Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity
The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...
Complexation Equilibria: The Chelate Effect
Surface Tension and Surface Energy
Consider a beaker filled with liquid. The bulk molecules in the liquid experience equal attractive forces on all sides with the surrounding molecules. However, the surface molecules experience a net attractive force downward due to the bulk molecules. The surface of the liquid behaves like a stretched membrane,...
Surface Tension
Heterogeneous Catalysis
Surface Active Agents

