Effect of cavitation intensity control on self-assembling of alkanethiols on gold in room temperature ionic liquids

This study investigates the effect of cavitation intensity on self-assembling of alkanethiol molecules on gold in room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) under low frequency ultrasound irradiation (20 kHz). The use of RTILs, with low vapor pressure, enabled cavitation activity to be controlled up to quenching through pressure decrease within an argon-saturated atmosphere. This control possibility was used to acquire deeper insights into the role of cavitation on self-assembling processes. It was shown by electrochemical, contact angles and Polarization Modulation - Infrared Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) measurements that cavitation activates orientation and organization of self-assembled monolayers (SAM). X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that, even if chemical adsorption of molecules is highly activated under ultrasound irradiation, it is not dependent on acoustic cavitation intensity.