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Scanning tunneling microscopy investigation of self-assembled CuPc/F16CuPc binary superstructures on graphite
1Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, 117542, Singapore.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|February 24, 2010
Summary
This study reveals how copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and fluorinated copper phthalocyanine (F(16)CuPc) self-assemble on graphite. A chessboard nanopattern emerges, with molecular orientation controlled by coverage and hydrogen bonding.
Area of Science:
- Surface science
- Supramolecular chemistry
- Materials science
Background:
- Phthalocyanines are versatile organic molecules with applications in electronics and catalysis.
- Controlling molecular self-assembly is crucial for designing advanced nanomaterials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the self-assembly behavior of a binary system of copper(II) phthalocyanine (CuPc) and copper-hexadecafluoro-phthalocyanine (F(16)CuPc) on a graphite surface.
- To understand how molecular coverage influences the in-plane orientation and pattern formation.
Main Methods:
- In situ low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (LT-STM) for real-space imaging of molecular arrangements.
- Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to elucidate the driving forces behind self-assembly.
Main Results:
- A well-ordered, chessboard-like nanopattern formed upon adsorption of the CuPc/F(16)CuPc binary system on graphite.
- The in-plane molecular orientation of CuPc molecules varied with coverage, transitioning from random to unidirectional.
- At higher CuPc coverage, a highly ordered, unidirectional chessboard pattern was achieved.
Conclusions:
- The study demonstrates tunable self-assembly of CuPc and F(16)CuPc on graphite, leading to ordered nanopatterns.
- Intermolecular hydrogen bonding is identified as the key factor dictating molecular orientation and supramolecular packing.
