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Title: Thermodynamic versus kinetic control in self-assembly of zero-, one-, quasi-two-, and two-dimensional metal-organic coordination structures

Journal Article · · Journal of Chemical Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4906174· OSTI ID:22415477
; ; ;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Department of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong (China)
  2. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Chemistry and Institute of Fine Chemicals, East China University of Science and Technology, Meilong Road 130, Shanghai (China)

Four types of metal-organic structures exhibiting specific dimensionality were studied using scanning tunneling microscopy and Monte Carlo simulations. The four structures were self-assembled out of specifically designed molecular building blocks via the same coordination motif on an Au(111) surface. We found that the four structures behaved differently in response to thermal annealing treatments: The two-dimensional structure was under thermodynamic control while the structures of lower dimension were under kinetic control. Monte Carlo simulations revealed that the self-assembly pathways of the four structures are associated with the characteristic features of their specific heat. These findings provide insights into how the dimensionality of supramolecular coordination structures affects their thermodynamic properties.

OSTI ID:
22415477
Journal Information:
Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol. 142, Issue 10; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-9606
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English