Phase-segregation-induced self-assembly of anisotropic MFI microbuilding blocks into compact and highly b-oriented...

A compact and highly b-oriented MFI monolayerwas fabricated with a novel phase-segregation-induced self-assembly method. When MFI microcrystals were dispersed uniformly in an appropriate dispersant (sec-butanol) containing a trace amount of binding agent (linoleic acid), these microbuilding blocks were spontaneously self-assembled into a compact monolayer at an air-liquid interface. In particular, it was observed that the binding agent took effect only after being phase-segregated from the aqueous solution. The influence of the kind of dispersants and binding agents on the final morphology of the as-prepared MFI monolayers was discussed. On the basis of these results, a mechanism was proposed to elucidate the driving force for the compact and oriented assembly of these MFI building blocks at the air-water interface.