Real time monitoring of the electrochemical transformation of a ferrocene-terminated alkanethiolate monolayer at gold via an adhesion-based atomic force microscopic characterization

Journal Article · Thu Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996 · Journal of Physical Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jp9610527· OSTI ID:380914

Green, J B.D.; McDermott, M T; Porter, M D ^[1]

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1. Ames Lab., IA (United States)

This paper demonstrates the real time monitoring of the electrochemical transformation of a surface-bound redox species using AFM-based adhesion measurements. The measurements were conducted using a monolayer formed by the chemisorption of 11-mercaptoundecyl ferrocenecarboxylate (FcT) at a Au(111) electrode and a gold-coated probe tip modified with an octadecanethiolate (OT) monolayer. Using this probe tip-sample combination, the one-electron oxidation of the ferrocenyl group of FcT monolayer results in a decrease in the observed force of adhesion (F{sub ad}) at the microcontact formed by the two different surfaces. Using surface tension arguments, this change is attributed to the decrease in the effective miscibility at the microcontact as a consequence of the oxidation of the ferrocenyl group to the ferrocenium ion. Issues related to the underlying changes in the interfacial structure that give rise to the differences in F{sub ad} are discussed. 36 refs., 3 figs.

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-82
• OSTI ID: 380914
• Journal Information: Journal of Physical Chemistry, Journal Name: Journal of Physical Chemistry Journal Issue: 32 Vol. 100; ISSN JPCHAX; ISSN 0022-3654
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
40 CHEMISTRY
ADHESION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTRODES
GOLD
MEASURING METHODS
MICROSCOPY
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
THIN FILMS
VOLTAMETRY