Using Isotropic, Nematic, and Smectic Fluids for the Study of Self-Assembled Monolayers Formed from Alkanethiols on Gold

Abstract

The use of isotropic and anisotropic fluids for the study of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) formed from alkanethiols on gold is reported. A fluid with orientational ordera nematic liquid crystal (NLC)can be used to distinguish between surfaces that differ in molecular-level organization, mesoscale structure, or both, whereas isotropic fluids with the chemical functional groups of the NLC report these surfaces to be the same. A fluid with positional and orientational ordera smectic liquid crystalwas found to be a more sensitive probe of molecular-level “imperfection” in a SAM than a nematic fluid.