Adsorption Behaviors of Mixed Monolayers of n-Alkanes at the Liquid-Solid Interface

To understand the self-assembly of monolayers at the liquid-solid interface, a thermodynamic model, which describes the contributions of the molecular interactions, is essential. We present an adapted Zimm-Bragg model of the cooperativity transitions for determining the Gibbs free energy for self-assembly at the liquid-solid interface. Scanning tunneling microscopy was used to observe the monolayers formed on graphite from phenyloctane solutions of binary mixtures of n-hexacosane (C26H54) and n-tetratriacontane (C34H70). This revealed that the sharp transition in the monolayers from the full surface coverage of the long-chain alkane, which is adsorbed preferentially, to the full coverage of the short-chain alkane is a function of the mixture composition. The model allows for the estimation of the free-energy changes associated with the difference in the alkyl chain length and the interface between the two different alkane regions in the monolayers. It is also suitable for understanding more complex systems that exhibit intermolecular interactions.