Unifying Interfacial Self-Assembly and Surface Freezing

X-ray investigations reveal that the monolayers formed at the bulk alkanol-sapphire interface are densely packed with the surface-normal molecules hydrogen bound to the sapphire. About 30-35 C above the bulk, these monolayers both melt reversibly and partially desorb. This system exhibits balanced i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2011-12, Vol.106 (13)
Main Authors: B Ocko, H Hlaing, P Jepsen, S Kewalramani, A Tkachenko, D Pontoni, H Reichert, M Deutsch
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
08 HYDROGEN
ELASTICITY
FREEZING
HYDROGEN
SAPPHIRE
SUBSTRATES
THERMODYNAMIC MODEL
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Summary:X-ray investigations reveal that the monolayers formed at the bulk alkanol-sapphire interface are densely packed with the surface-normal molecules hydrogen bound to the sapphire. About 30-35 C above the bulk, these monolayers both melt reversibly and partially desorb. This system exhibits balanced intermolecular and molecule-substrate interactions which are intermediate between self-assembled and surface-frozen monolayers, each dominated by one interaction. The phase behavior is rationalized within a thermodynamic model comprising interfacial interactions, elasticity, and entropic effects. Separating the substrate from the melt leaves the monolayer structurally intact.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.137801