Phase Transitions In Monolayers Research Articles

Commensurate Solid–Solid Phase Transitions in Self-Assembled Monolayers of Alkylthiolates Lying on Metal Surfaces

A temperature-induced commensurate solid-solid phase transition in self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkylthiolates lying on Pt(111) is predicted from molecular dynamics simulations based on ab initio potential energy surfaces. As the system cools down from room temperature to low enough temperature, SAMs of alkylthiolates with more than ~12 carbon atoms undergo an abrupt change of orientation from a nearly upright to a tilted configuration. As the initial hexagonal arrangement of the sulfur headgroups is kept fixed during the simulations, the phase transition is entirely governed by chain-chain interactions. Similar commensurate phase transitions are predicted for hexagonally arranged SAMs with lattice spacings of the order of 4.7-4.9 Å, which, among others, excludes the well-known cases of densely packed SAMs of alkylthiolates on Au(111) and Ag(111). These findings could be relevant for the design of novel electronic or optical devices controllable by temperature.

Dual functional performance of fiber Bragg gratings coated with metals using flash evaporation technique

Metallic and other type of coatings on fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors alter their sensitivity with thermal and mechanical stress while protecting the fragile optical fiber in harsh sensing surroundings. The behavior of the coated materials is unique in their response to thermal and mechanical stress depending on the thickness and the mode of coating. The thermal stress during the coating affects the temperature sensitivity of FBG sensors. We have explored the thermal response of FBGs coated with Al and Pb to an average thickness of 80nm using flash evaporation technique where the FBG sensor is mounted in a region at room temperature in an evacuated chamber having a pressure of 10−6Torr which will minimize any thermal stress during the coating process. The coating thickness is chosen in the nanometer region with the aim to study thermal behavior of nanocoatings and their effect on FBG sensitivity. The sensitivity of FBGs is evaluated from the wavelengths recorded using an optical sensing interrogator sm 130 (Micron Optics) from room temperature to 300°C both during heating and cooling. It is observed that the sensitivity of the metal coated fibers is better than the reference FBG with no coating for the entire range of temperature. For a coating thickness of 80nm, Al coated FBG is more sensitive than the one coated with Pb up to 170°C and it reverses at higher temperatures. This point is identified as a reversible phase transition in Pb monolayers as the 2-dimensional aspects of the metal layers are dominant in the nanocoatings of Pb. On cooling, the phase transition reverses and the FBGs return to the original state and for repeated cycles of heating and cooling the same pattern is observed. Thus the FBG functions as a sensor of the phase transitions of the coatings also.

Commensurate-incommensurate phase transition in chlorine monolayer chemisorbed on Ag(111): Direct observation of crowdion condensation into a domain-wall fluid

The commensurate-incommensurate phase transition in chlorine monolayer on Ag(111) has been studied with low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and low-energy electron diffraction. We report the observation of self-interstitial defects: two-dimensional (2D) crowdions formed at the initial stage of the ($\sqrt{3}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\sqrt{3}$)R30${}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ lattice compression. After critical coverage of 0.34 monolayer (ML) the crowdions condense into a domain-wall fluid. As coverage further increases, the domain-wall crystal solidifies with average wall separation of 23 \AA{}.

Properties of compatible solutes in aqueous solution

We have performed Molecular Dynamics simulations of ectoine, hydroxyectoine and urea in explicit solvent. Special attention has been spent on the local surrounding structure of water molecules. Our results indicate that ectoine and hydroxyectoine are able to accumulate more water molecules than urea by a pronounced ordering due to hydrogen bonds. We have validated that the charging of the molecules is of main importance resulting in a well defined hydration sphere. The influence of a varying salt concentration is also investigated. Finally we present experimental results of a DPPC monolayer phase transition that validate our numerical findings.

Phase Transition of Octaneselenolate Self-assembled Monolayers on Au(111) Studied by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

We investigated the surface structure and wetting behavior of octaneselenolate self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au(111) formed in a 50 ethanol solution according to immersion time, using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and an automatic contact angle (CA) goniometer. Closely-packed, well-ordered alkanethiol SAMs would form as the immersion time increased; unexpectedly, however, we observed the structural transition of octaneselenolate SAMs from a molecular row phase with a long-range order to a disordered phase with a high density of vacancy islands (VIs). Molecularly resolved STM imaging revealed that the missing-row ordered phase of the SAMs could be assigned as a superlattice containing three molecules in the rectangular unit cell. In addition, CA measurements showed that the structural order and defect density of VIs are closely related to the wetting behaviors of octaneselenolate SAMs on gold. In this study, we clearly demonstrate that interactions between the headgroups and gold surfaces play an important role in determining the physical properties and surface structure of SAMs.

Odd–Even Effects on the Structure, Stability, and Phase Transition of Alkanethiol Self-Assembled Monolayers

Molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to predict the structural properties and phase transition temperatures of n-alkanethiols CH(3)(CH(2))(n-1)SH (Cn, 4 ≤ n ≤ 22) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au (111) surfaces. We studied the effects of chain length on the structural properties, including tilt and orientation angles, and on phase transition temperature. We found clear dependence of the structural properties, on both the number of carbon atoms, n; and on n being odd or even. Alkanethiols with n ≤ 7 show liquid-like behavior and large rotational mobility, whereas those with n ≥ 12 are well-ordered and stable. For 12 ≤ n ≤ 15, odd-even effects are observed, where for n = odd, larger tilt angles, oriented in the direction of their next next nearest neighbor (NNNN), and for n = even, lower tilt angles, mostly tilted toward next nearest neighbor (NNN), were observed. For 15 ≤ n ≤ 19, we find tilt angle and orientation to be independent of n. For all alkanethiols, a gradual decrease of the tilt angle occurred by increasing the temperature from 300 to 420 K. Order-disorder phase transitions occurred at a certain temperature. This was signified by abrupt instabilities in the tilt orientation angle. This transition temperature showed an enhancement of ∼67-100 °C over the melting point of the corresponding n-alkane bulk system. This enhancement depended on n, and was larger for n = odd. Overall, we found that odd alkanethiols show better structural and thermal stability, and smaller gauche defects.

Molecular dynamics simulation of phase transitions in model lung surfactant monolayers

To explore the role of individual lung surfactant components in liquid-condensed (LC)/liquid-expanded (LE) phase transitions the MARTINI coarse-grained (CG) model is used to simulate monolayers containing DPPC and additional lipid or peptide components. Our analysis suggests that the LC phase forms from the LE phase via a nucleation and growth mechanism, while the LC–LE transition occurs by melting that originates from defects in the monolayer. On the time scale of our simulations, DPPC monolayers display a substantial hysteresis between the ordering and disordering transitions, which is decreased by the addition of a second component. In binary mixtures of DPPC with lung surfactant peptide fragment SP-B1–25, the ordered side of the hysteresis loop is abolished altogether, suggesting that SP-B1–25 effectively nucleates disorder in the monolayer on heating. SP-B1–25 is observed to perturb the packing of the surrounding lipids leading to local fluidization of the monolayer and to aggregate within the LE phase. In 1:1 DPPC:POPC monolayers, a high concentration of unsaturated phospholipid leads to a substantial decrease in the LC–LE and LE–LC transition temperatures. Adding cholesterol to pure DPPC increases the LC–LE and LE–LC transition temperatures and increases the order on the disordered side of the hysteresis loop leading to a phase of intermediate order, which could be the liquid-disordered (Ld) phase. Cholesterol is also observed to show a preference for LC–LE domain boundaries. The results of our molecular dynamics simulations coincide with many experimental observations and can help provide insight into the physiological roles of individual surfactant components.

Effect of Saline on Transitions in Poly(ethylene glycol)-Grafted Succinyl-Phosphoethanolamine Monolayers Bearing C16Aliphatic Chains

To investigate the effect of saline on miscibility, phase, and conformational transitions in binary mixtures of a succinyl-phosphoethanolamine bearing C(16) aliphatic chains, DPPE-succinyl, and a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-phospholipid conjugate with a PEG molecular weight of 2000, DPPE-PEG2000, we have compared the properties of monolayers spread on water and on phosphate buffered saline (PBS). A comparative analysis of monolayer surface pressure, surface potential, compressibility, and epifluorescence microscopy data has revealed that spreading on PBS induces unfavorable interactions between the two phospholipids, which stabilizes immiscible phases in mixed monolayers. Strikingly, the conformational transition in grafted PEG2000 chains on PBS could not be easily described by the existing interpretive schemes. Plausibly, this transition becomes partially impaired due to interactions with PBS. Thus, saline has a significant effect on miscibility, phase, and conformational transitions in these PEG-grafted monolayers bearing C(16) aliphatic chains, which may have implications for understanding the behavior of PEG-grafted phospholipid surfaces in aqueous media of biological relevance.

In honour of the 65th birthday of Valentin B. Fainerman

This Honorary Note is dedicated to the 65th birthday of Valentin Fainerman and summarizes some of his contributions to the field of interfacial dynamics. First of all, he made the maximum bubble pressure tensiometry the most frequently used methodology in the short time range of surfactant adsorption at liquid surfaces. This work allows us now to use experimental data down to the time range of sub-milliseconds for analyzing adsorption mechanisms of surfactants and polymers and their mixtures. The contributions of V.B. Fainerman to the quantitative understanding of the thermodynamics of adsorption represent a significant step ahead and describe adsorption layers even of rather complex nature, such as mixed protein–surfactant layers. These models consider molecular interfacial reorientation and aggregation. His thermodynamic approach is able to explain various interfacial systems which includes for example also phase transitions in insoluble monolayers. Based on diffusional transport and the proposed thermodynamic models, the adsorption kinetics and dilational rheology of liquid interfacial layers have reached a new level of understanding.

Structural Manipulation of Hydrogen-Bonding Networks in Amide-Containing Alkanethiolate Monolayers via Electrochemical Processing

We report the electrochemically driven phase transformation of amide-containing alkanethiol, 3-mercapto-N-nonylpropionamide (1ATC9) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) into a linear nanostructure. Hydrogen-bonding interactions between buried amide groups cause multistep electrochemical desorption and enable an unusual phase change, affording a less dense, textured structure. Single-component 1ATC9 SAMs prepared in solution at room temperature for 24 h consist of two phases with different apparent heights in scanning tunneling microscope images; these phases are readily manipulated by controlling solution temperature and deposition time. Intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions give high thermal stability to the films. The presence of two independent cathodic peaks in 1ATC9 monolayer voltammograms indicates two-step reductive desorption. A monolayer phase transition occurs after the first cathodic peak, transforming a close-packed monolayer into a striped phase that is energetically favored at low surface...

Reversible Phase Transitions in Self-Assembled Monolayers at the Liquid−Solid Interface: Temperature-Controlled Opening and Closing of Nanopores

We present a variable-temperature study of monolayer self-assembly at the liquid-solid interface. By means of in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), reversible phase transitions from a nanoporous low-temperature phase to a more densely packed high-temperature phase are observed. The occurrence of the phase transition and the respective transition temperature were found to depend on the type of solvent and solute concentration. Estimates of the entropic cost and enthalpic gain upon monolayer self-assembly suggest that coadsorption of solvent molecules within the cavities of the nanoporous structure renders this polymorph thermodynamically stable at low temperatures. At elevated temperatures, however, desorption of these relatively weakly bound solvent molecules destabilizes the nanoporous polymorph, and the densely packed polymorph becomes thermodynamically favored. Interestingly, the structural phase transition provides external control over the monolayer morphology and, for the system under discussion, results in an effective opening and closing of supramolecular nanopores in a two-dimensional molecular monolayer.

Dipolar electrostatic energy effect on relaxation process of monolayers at air-water interface: Analysis of thermodynamics and kinetics

In order to understand the effect of electrostatic energy on phase transition from monolayer to multilayer, isobaric relaxation process of Langmuir monolayers composed of stearic acid or ferroelectric polyvinylidene fluoride and trifluoroethylene copolymer with various vinylidene fluoride (VDF) ratios is investigated in terms of thermodynamic and kinetic analysis. A monotonous decreasing tendency of material loss with respect to temperature is observed for stearic acid monolayer, which is due to thermal activation effect on phase transition from monolayer to multilayer. In contrast, for the ferroelectric monolayer it presents a nonmonotonous behavior of losing materials with a peak position near the Curie temperature, which is not only owing to thermal activation but also dipole moment change. This observation is confirmed for the copolymer monolayers with other VDF content ratios. Amazingly, for the ferroelectric monolayers a good correspondence is found for critical temperatures evaluated from several independent methods including the analysis on slow collapse. This finding again tells the fact that the relaxation process, namely phase transition from monolayer to multilayer, is greatly influenced by dipolar electrostatic energy. Moreover, the study of time dependent relaxation process reveals a diffusionlike behavior of multilayer structure formation, which cannot be interpreted by classical models. Hence a new model based on diffusion-driven material transfer is proposed and diffusivity of the copolymer molecules is estimated with a value of 0.4x10(-5) cm(2)/s. As a whole, this research reflects the importance of dipolar electrostatic energy for phase transition of monolayers at air-water interface.

Spectroscopic manifestations of orientational phase transition in adsorbate monolayer

In the framework of the virtual crystal approximation, the temperature dependences of frequencies and integral intensities of infrared absorption spectral lines are established for an adsorbate monolayer near the point of the order-to-disorder orientational phase transition. The results obtained are consistent with the experimentally observed temperature dependences of the vibrational spectra for the 2 × 1 monolayer CO/NaCl (100). For this system, the Davydov splitting does not vanish on the phase transition due to a nonzero value of the average dipole moment (unlike molecular crystals and orientationally planar monolayers in which the average dipole moment becomes zero at the phase transition temperature).

Study of phase transition of two-dimensional ferroelectric copolymer P(VDF-TrFE) Langmuir monolayer by Maxwell displacement current and Brewster angle microscopy

Phase transition of ferroelectric Langmuir monolayers composed of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) copolymer with various VDF ratios, was investigated. The thermodynamic, dielectric, and structural properties of these two-dimensional ferroelectric systems were analyzed by coupling surface pressure-area isotherms, Maxwell displacement currents (MDCs), and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) images. A low-temperature phase transition, specific for the ferroelectric monolayer, was found out with an order-disorder phase transition. The phase transition temperature was dependent on the composition ratio of the copolymer, and the Gibbs free energy reached maximum at this temperature. A negative MDC peak representing dipole moment oriented to the subphase was observed during monolayer compression and disappeared above the order-disorder transition. Interestingly, the BAM images showed decrease of domain size with increase of temperature. These results were well explained based on the order-disorder transition.

Structure and phase transitions of monolayers of intermediate-length n-alkanes on graphite studied by neutron diffraction and molecular dynamics simulation

We present evidence from neutron diffraction measurements and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of three different monolayer phases of the intermediate-length alkanes tetracosane (n-C(24)H(50) denoted as C24) and dotriacontane (n-C(32)H(66) denoted as C32) adsorbed on a graphite basal-plane surface. Our measurements indicate that the two monolayer films differ principally in the transition temperatures between phases. At the lowest temperatures, both C24 and C32 form a crystalline monolayer phase with a rectangular-centered (RC) structure. The two sublattices of the RC structure each consists of parallel rows of molecules in their all-trans conformation aligned with their long axis parallel to the surface and forming so-called lamellas of width approximately equal to the all-trans length of the molecule. The RC structure is uniaxially commensurate with the graphite surface in its [110] direction such that the distance between molecular rows in a lamella is 4.26 A=sqrt[3a(g)], where a(g)=2.46 A is the lattice constant of the graphite basal plane. Molecules in adjacent rows of a lamella alternate in orientation between the carbon skeletal plane being parallel and perpendicular to the graphite surface. Upon heating, the crystalline monolayers transform to a "smectic" phase in which the inter-row spacing within a lamella expands by approximately 10% and the molecules are predominantly oriented with the carbon skeletal plane parallel to the graphite surface. In the smectic phase, the MD simulations show evidence of broadening of the lamella boundaries as a result of molecules diffusing parallel to their long axis. At still higher temperatures, they indicate that the introduction of gauche defects into the alkane chains drives a melting transition to a monolayer fluid phase as reported previously.

Phase transitions in Langmuir monolayer of long chain attached fluorescein studied by second harmonic generation technique

Optical second harmonic generation (SHG) measurements coupled with Π-A isotherms have been shown to be helpful, for the following and comprehension of orientational orders and phase transitions in Langmuir monolayers. Using the SHG-(Π-A) measurements, monolayers of 5-hexadecanoylaminofluorescein on the water surface were examined by monolayer compression. The phase transitions were noticeably revealed. Dependence of the square root of the intensities polarizations quotient in the molecules surface density, allowed establishing tilting orientation alignment phases. In addition, change in the monolayer symmetry C ∞ v → C 2 v as it goes through the LE–LC phase transition, was clearly recognized. It was concluded that a possible change in β is taking place due to aggregate formation.

Similarities in the Phase Properties of Adsorption and Spread Acid-Phospolipid Monolayers

ABSTRACTOur experiments focus on adsorption and spread monolayer films of the acid phospholipid phosphatidyleserine in presence of Ca2+ and gentamicin. All chemical species are of great value to medical care and pharmacology industry. Experimental evidence is provided for a first-order phase transition in adsorption monolayers of phosphatidyleserine and compared to the classical approach of π/A isotherms. The phase transitions are characterized with thermodynamic and kinetics data and are visualized with Brewster angle microscopy while have discussed in terms of isothermal compressibility. Observed results are also discussed in terms of gentamicin toxicity and Ca2+ toxicity prevention mechanisms.

Phase Transitions in Phospholipid Monolayers Studied by Atomic Force Microscopy and Langmuir-Blodgett Technique

The phase behaviour and surface structure of dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline (DPPC) monolayers at the air/water interface, in the absence and the presence of procaine, have been investigated by Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique and atomic force microscopy. The LB films were transferred on mica, at a controlled surface pressure, characteristic for the expanded liquid to condensed liquid phase transition of pure DPPC monolayers. The results indicate that procaine penetrates into and specifically interacts with phospholipid monolayers stabilizing the lipid membrane interface.

New Features on the Phase Transitions of Behenic Acid Monolayers as Unveiled by 2D‐Compressibility Coefficient

AbstractPhase behavior of Langmuir monolayers of behenic acid (BeA) has been examined by two‐dimensional compressibility. It was found that phase transitions of BeA could be classified into two distinct categories, named Type‐I and Type‐II in this work. The former is typified by a positive peak on the compressibility‐pressure (β‐) curve, indicating the transition can occur itself in a way of collapse from the initial structure. The latter is characterized by a dropping step on the β‐ curve, implying that it cannot happen itself and the driven force is continuous compression. For BeA molecules, compressibility coefficients at the initial and final state are the same, βi=βf, for Type‐I phase transition from L2 to L2' state, whilst βi>βf for Type‐II phase transition from L2' state to S state.

The commensurate-to-incommensurate phase transition of an organic monolayer: A high resolution LEED analysis of the superstructures of NTCDA on Ag(1 1 1)

The structural order of 1,4,9,10-naphthalene-tetracarboxylicacid-dianhydride (NTCDA) monolayers on Ag(1 1 1) has been investigated by spot profile analysis low energy electron diffraction (SPA-LEED). For increasing coverage, we find a sequence of three highly ordered structures: a commensurate structure (α), a uniaxially incommensurate structure (α 2), and an incommensurate structure (β) with coverages of 0.9 ML, 0.95 ML, and 1 (saturated) monolayer (ML), respectively. In the high coverage regime, the structures coexist and a coverage increase causes a change of their relative fractions. The α and β structures were known before [U. Stahl, D. Gador, A. Soukopp, R. Fink, E. Umbach, Surf. Sci. 414 (1998) 423], but the β structure was proposed as commensurate, since its very small misfit with respect to a commensurate structure could not be resolved. This misfit leads to a periodic modulation, causing additional Moiré satellites in the diffraction pattern. This finding demonstrates the importance of high resolution methods for the geometry determination of large organic adsorbates.