Langmuir-Blodgett films of 9-phenyl anthracene molecules incorporated into different matrices

This communication reports the surface pressure (pi) versus area per molecule (A) isotherm characteristics of the mixed films of 9-phenyl anthracene (PA) in stearic acid (SA) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) matrices, at the air-water interface. The mixed Langmuir films at the air-water interface have been observed to be easily transferred onto solid substrates to form uniform Langmuir-Blodgett films. By changing various parameters, namely molefraction, surface pressure of lifting and number of layers, the mixed Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of various types have been fabricated successfully and their spectroscopic characteristics have been reported. From the isotherm characteristics and the area per molecule versus molefraction plot, it is evident that the PA molecules are successfully incorporated into mixed Langmuir-Blodgett films. UV-vis absorption spectroscopic study of the mixed LB films at various molefractions of PA in two different matrices reveal that formation of I-type aggregate in PMMA matrix whereas both I- and H-type aggregates are playing their dominant role in SA matrix. Moreover, fluorescence spectroscopic study reveals reabsorption effect. Molecular movement persists in the freshly prepared LB films, as is evident from the time dependent changes in both UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectra of the mixed LB films in both matrices. From our observation it is evident that about 200 h is required to get the LB films in a stable condition. Dimers and higher order n-mers are formed at a higher surface pressure of 30 mNm(-1).     

Pure and mixed films of a nitrostilbene derivative at the air-water interface, Langmuir-Blodgett multilayer fabrication, and optical characterization

This paper reports the preparation and characterization of pure Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of a stilbene derivative containing two alkyl chains, namely 4-dioctadecylamino-4'-nitrostilbene. Mixed films incorporating docosanoic acid and the stilbene derivative are also studied. Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) analysis has revealed the existence of randomly oriented three-dimensional (3D) aggregates, spontaneously formed immediately after the spreading process of the stilbene derivative onto the water surface. These 3D aggregates coexist with a Langmuir film that shows the typical gas, liquid, and solid-like phases in the surface pressure and surface potential vs area per molecule isotherms, indicative of an average preferential orientation of the stilbene compound at the air-water interface, and a gradual molecular arrangement into a defined structure upon compression. A blue shift of 55 nm of the reflection spectrum of the Langmuir film with respect to the spectrum of a chloroform solution of the nitrostilbene indicates that two-dimensional (2D) H-aggregates are formed at the air-water interface. The monolayers are transferred undisturbed onto solid substrates with atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealing that the one layer LB films are constituted by a monolayer of the stilbene derivative together with some 3D aggregates. When the nitrostilbene compound is blended with docosanoic acid, the 3D aggregation is avoided in the Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films, but does not limit the formation of 2D H-aggregates, desirable for second-order nonlinear optical response in the blue domain. The AFM images of the mixed LB films show that they are formed by a docosanoic acid monolayer and, on the top of it, a bilayer of the stilbene derivative.     

Supramolecular architecture in Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films incorporating a chiral azobenzene

This article describes the synthesis and fabrication of Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films incorporating a chiral azobenzene derivative, namely, ( S)-4- sec-butyloxy-4'-[5'-(methyloxycarbonyl)pentyl-1'-oxy]azobenzene, abbreviated as AZO-C4(S). Appropriate conditions for the fabrication of monolayers of AZO-C4(S) at the air-water interface have been established, and the resulting Langmuir films have been characterized by a combination of surface pressure and surface potential versus area per molecule isotherms, Brewster angle microscopy, and UV-vis reflection spectroscopy. The results indicate the formation of an ordered trilayer at the air-water interface with UV-vis reflection spectroscopy showing a new supramolecular architecture for multilayered films as well as the formation of J aggregates. Films were transferred onto solid substrates, with AFM revealing well-ordered multilayered films without 3D defects. Infrared and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy indicate that the supramolecular architecture may be favored by the formation of H bonds between acid groups in neighboring layers and pi-pi intermolecular interactions. Circular dichroism spectra reveal chiro-optical activity in multilayered LB films.     

稀土螯合物发光体LB膜的研究(I)

稀土有机配合物的发光研究近年来取得了可喜的近展.铕(Ⅲ)、铽(Ⅲ)、钐(Ⅲ)与β-二酮(β-dik),三正辛基氧化膦(TOPO)所形成的螯合物,以及它们的硝酸盐与邻菲咯啉(Phen)所形成的螯合物都是高光效的发光体,有广阔的应用前景,在某些方面已获得应用.如能把这些具有发光功能的稀土螯合物组装成有序的分子组合体,则很可能在分子光学技术,光电子技术等领域发挥重要作用.如何组装?本文用LB 膜技术,通过交替成膜或混     

Fabrication, structural characterization, and applications of langmuir and langmuir-blodgett films of a poly(azo)urethane

The synthesis of a poly(azo)urethane by fixing CO(2) in bis-epoxide followed by a polymerization reaction with an azodiamine is presented. Since isocyanate is not used in the process, it is termed "clean method" and the polymers obtained are named "NIPUs" (non-isocyanate polyurethanes). Langmuir films were formed at the air-water interface and were characterized by surface pressure vs mean molecular area per mer unit (Pi-A) isotherms. The Langmuir monolayers were further studied by running stability tests and cycles of compression/expansion (possible hysteresis) and by varying the compression speed of the monolayer formation, the subphase temperature, and the solvents used to prepare the spreading polymer solutions. The Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique was used to fabricate ultrathin films of a particular polymer (PAzoU). It is possible to grow homogeneous LB films of up to 15 layers as monitored using UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. Higher number of layers can be deposited when PAzoU is mixed with stearic acid, producing mixed LB films. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) absorption spectroscopy and Raman scattering showed that the materials do not interact chemically in the mixed LB films. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) and micro-Raman technique (optical microscopy coupled to Raman spectrograph) revealed that mixed LB films present a phase separation distinguishable at micrometer or nanometer scale. Finally, mixed and neat LB films were successfully characterized using impedance spectroscopy at different temperatures, a property that may lead to future application as temperature sensors. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to correlate the data.     

Proton sponge and fatty acid interactions at the air-water interface. Thermodynamic, spectroscopic, and microscopic study

Mixed Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of a proton sponge, namely, diphenyl bis(octadecylamino)phosphonium bromide, and a fatty acid, docosanoic acid, with different molar ratios have been fabricated. Surface pressure versus area per molecule isotherms were registered, and the excess areas and excess Gibbs energy of mixing were calculated. Strong interactions between the proton sponge and the fatty acid take place at the air-water interface. The existence of a stoichiometric 1:1 acid-base reaction between the two components forming a complex on the water surface at high surface pressures has been demonstrated. Furthermore, the reaction had an efficiency close to 100% at the air-water interface; meanwhile, it hardly takes place in organic solvents such as chloroform or even a mixture of chloroform and dimethyl sulfoxide. The floating films were transferred to solid supports and characterized by means of several techniques including IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy, revealing the presence of highly ordered alkyl chains and a constant architecture along the different layers as well as the presence of different domains in the LB films, except those having a 1:1 proton sponge-fatty acid ratio that are homogeneous. Such domains have been interpreted as the presence of two different phases, the 1:1 complex plus the excess component in the mixture.     

含液晶基团的冠醚LB膜研究

合成了含有联苯介晶基团的长链冠醚,并首次制成含液晶基团的冠醚LB膜,由LB膜的荧光光谱研究发现,与其单体在CHCl_3稀溶液中的荧光光谱相比,LB膜的荧光光谱向长波方向移动,表明分子均以缔结状态存在,XRD结果表明,LB膜具有良好的有序结构,单分子膜厚2.6nm。     

Surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering imaging of Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers of bis (benzimidazo) thioperylene.

The synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and surface-enhanced spectroscopy of a new electro active organic material bis (benzimidazo) thioperylene (Monothio BZP) are reported. Langmuir monolayers of Monothio BZP were successfully formed on water subphase and characterized by the pi-A surface-pressure area isotherm. Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) monomolecular layers of Monothio BZP were fabricated onto glass substrates and onto silver island films for surface-enhanced spectroscopic studies. The results of surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS), SERRS imaging and surface-enhanced fluorescence (SEF) studies for Monothio BZP LB monolayers are reported. Raman imaging (global imaging and point-by-point mapping) of the SERRS signal for a single monomolecular layer on silver islands were obtained using the 514.5 nm laser line. The SERRS imaging permits a visualization of the variation of the SERRS intensity across of the rough metal surface. The SEF was recorded for the excimer emission of aggregates in the LB film. The distance dependence and the enhancement factor of SEF were determined using fatty acid spacing layers. A temperature dependence study of the LB monolayer SERRS and SEF spectra was carried out between -190 degrees and + 200 degrees C confirming the thermal stability of the LB monolayer on silver. The specificity and the sensitivity of SERRS signal on metal island films was probed using mixed LB films with 0.01% molecular ratio of Monothio BZP in Arachidic Acid (AA). The micro-Raman SERRS spectra from ca. 10(-3) attomole of the dye were recorded.     

Preparation of ordered films containing a phenylene ethynylene oligomer by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique

This paper reports the fabrication and characterization of Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films incorporating an oligo(phenylene-ethynylene) (OPE) derivative, namely, 4-[4-(4-hexyloxyphenylethynyl)-phenylethynyl]-benzoic acid (HBPEB). Conditions appropriate for deposition of monolayers of HBPEB at the air-water interface have been established and the resulting Langmuir films characterized by a combination of surface pressure and surface potential versus area per molecule isotherms, Brewster angle microscopy, and ultraviolet reflection spectroscopy. The Langmuir films are readily transferred onto solid substrates, and one-layer LB films transferred at several surface pressures onto mica substrates have been analyzed by means of atomic force microscopy, from which it can be concluded that 14 mN/m is an optimum surface pressure of transference, giving well-ordered homogeneous films without three-dimensional defects and a low surface roughness. The optical and emissive properties of the LB films have been determined with significant blue-shifted absorption spectra indicating formation of two-dimensional H aggregates and a Stokes shift illustrating the effects of the solid-like environment on the molecular chromophore.     

Interfacial assembly of an achiral zinc phthalocyanine at the air/water interface: a surface pressure dependent aggregation and supramolecular chirality

The aggregation and supramolecular chirality of the interfacial assemblies of an achiral phthalcyanine derivative, zinc 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octakis(octyloxy)-29 H,31 H-phthaloxyanine (ZnPc), were investigated, and a surface pressure dependent behavior was observed. It was found that ZnPc could be spread as a Langmuir film on water surface and transferred onto solid substrates by the horizontal lifting method. The compound formed mixed J- and H-aggregates in the transferred Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films. Deconvolution of the broaden Q-band revealed three main components of the spectra, which corresponded to H- and J-aggregates and medium transition aggregates, whose relative contents could be modulated by the surface pressure at which the films were transferred. On the other hand, the transferred LB films composed of these aggregates showed Cotton effects in circular dichroism spectra when the floating film was compressed over a certain surface pressure although the compound itself was achiral. The cooperative arrangement of the macrocylic ring in a helical manner through the interfacial organization was suggested to be responsible for such optical activity in the LB films. A possible explanation based on the cooperative arrangement of the ZnPc building blocks in a helical sense stacking in the aggregates was proposed.     

Self-organization of a wedge-shaped surfactant in monolayers and multilayers

The self-organization behavior of a wedge-shaped surfactant, disodium-3,4,5-tris(dodecyloxy)phenylmethylphosphonate, was studied in Langmuir monolayers (at the air-water interface), Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) monolayers and multilayers, and films adsorbed spontaneously from isooctane solution onto a mica substrate (self-assembled films). This compound forms an inverted hexagonal lyotropic liquid crystal phase in the bulk and in thick adsorbed films. Surface pressure isotherm and Brewster angle microscope (BAM) studies of Langmuir monolayers revealed three phases: gas (G), liquid expanded (LE), and liquid condensed (LC). The surface pressure-temperature phase diagram was determined in detail; a triple point was found at approximately 10 degrees C. Atomic force microscope (AFM) images of LB monolayers transferred from various regions of the phase diagram were consistent with the BAM images and indicated that the LE regions are approximately 0.5 nm thinner than the LC regions. AFM images were also obtained of self-assembled films after various adsorption times. For short adsorption times, when monolayer self-assembly was incomplete, the film topography indicated the coexistence of two distinct monolayer phases. The height difference between these two phases was again 0.5 nm, suggesting a correspondence with the LE/LC coexistence observed in the Langmuir monolayers. For longer immersion times, adsorbed multilayers assembled into highly organized periodic arrays of inverse cylindrical micelles. Similar periodic structures, with the same repeat distance of 4.5 nm, were also observed in three-layer LB films. However, the regions of organized periodic structure were much smaller and more poorly correlated in the LB multilayers than in the films adsorbed from solution. Collectively, these observations indicate a high degree of similarity between the molecular organization in Langmuir layers/LB films and adsorbed self-assembled films. In both cases, monolayers progress through an LE phase, into LE/LC coexistence, and finally into LC phase as surface density increases. Following the deposition of an additional bilayer, the film reorganizes to form an array of inverted cylindrical micelles.     

Langmuir-Blodgett film of hydrophobin protein from Pleurotus ostreatus at the air-water interface

We present results concerning the formation of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of a class I hydrophobin from Pleurotus ostreatus at the air-water interface, and their structure as Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films when deposited on silicon substrates. LB films of the hydrophobin were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). We observed that the compressed film at the air-water interface exhibits a molecular depletion even at low surface pressure. In order to estimate the surface molecular concentration, we fit the experimental isotherm with Volmer's equation describing the equation of state for molecular monolayers. We found that about (1)/ 10 of the molecules contribute to the surface film formation. When transferred on silicon substrates, compact and uniform monomolecular layers about 2.5 nm thick, comparable to a typical molecular size, were observed. The monolayers coexist with protein aggregates, under the typical rodlet form with a uniform thickness of about 5.0 nm. The observed rodlets appear to be a hydrophilic bilayer and can then be responsible for the surface molecular depletion.     

不含亲水基团的偶氮苯衍生物L-B膜的制备和性质研究

本文合成了具有一定结构特点的偶氮苯的衍生物, 以元素分析和^1HNMR鉴定了B产物的组成和结构。采用L-B技术制备了其多层L-B膜, 以紫外可见光谱研究了膜中分子的聚集状态和膜的纵向均匀性; 以偏振紫外确定了膜中分子偶氮基的取向; L-B膜的小角度X射线衍射结果表明膜具有层状有序的周期性结构。     

Acidichromism in the Mixed Langmuir—Blodgett Films of Stearic Acid with a Carbazole—containing Schiff Base

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＲｅｖｅｒｓｉｂｌｅｃｏｌｏｒｃｈａｎｇｅｓｕｐｏｎｅｘｔｅｒｎａｌｏｒｉｎｔｅｒｎａｌｓｔｉｍｕｌａｔｉｏｎｓｈａｖｅｂｅｅｎａｔｔｒａｃｔｉｎｇｍｕｃｈａｔｔｅｎｔｉｏｎｄｕｅｔｏｔｈｅｉｒｕｔｉｌｉｔｙａｓｆｕｎｃｔｉｏｎａｌｍａｔｅｒｉａｌｓ .Ｆｏｒｅｘａｍｐｌｅ ,ｐｈｏ ｔｏｃｈｒｏｍｉｓｍｄｅｓｃｒｉｂｅｓｔｈｅｃｏｌｏｒｃｈａｎｇｅｓｉｎｄｕｃｅｄｂｙｐｈｏ ｔｏｉｒｒａｄｉａｔｉｏｎａｎｄｃａｎｂｅｕｓｅｄａｓｐｈｏｔｏ ｒｅｃｏｒｄｉｎｇｍａｔｅｒｉ ａｌｓ…     

Role of microenvironment in the mixed Langmuir-Blodgett films

This paper reports the pi-A isotherms and spectroscopic characteristics of mixed Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of nonamphiphilic carbazole (CA) molecules mixed with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and stearic acid (SA). pi-A isotherm studies of mixed monolayer as well as the remarkable change in collapse pressure of the mixed monolayer isotherms definitely show that CA is incorporated into PMMA and SA matrices. However, CA is stacked in the PMMA/SA chains and forms microcrystalline aggregates, as is evidenced from the scanning electron micrograph picture. The nature of these aggregated species in the mixed LB films has been revealed by UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic studies. The presence of two different kinds of band systems in the fluorescence spectra of the mixed LB films have been observed. This may be due to the formation of low-dimensional aggregates in the mixed LB films. Intensity distribution of different band systems is highly sensitive to the microenvironment of two different matrices as well as also on the film thickness.     

影响Langmuir-Blodgett膜中缺陷畴区的因素

采用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)和荧光显微镜研究了基片种类、温度、制膜参数(如Langmuir-Blodgett膜沉积压、压膜速度、提膜速度等)和LB膜层数对LB膜中缺陷畴区的影响及其对尿石矿物——水草酸钙(COM)晶体生长的指导作用. LB膜中的缺陷畴区可以诱导圆形COM沉积图形形成, 但在石英基片上的图形数量只有云母基片上的5%左右. 制膜温度由25 ℃降低至18 ℃时, 出现非圆形COM沉积图形, 尺寸亦有增大的趋势. 随着沉积压从2 mN/m增大到10 mN/m, 云母基片上圆形COM晶体沉积图形数量减少, 沉积图形尺寸趋于均一, 非圆形图形数量增加. 随着压膜速度增加, 膜中缺陷增加. 当LB膜的层数由1层增加到2, 3, 5层后, 其诱导的COM图形数量逐渐减少, 尺寸也相应减小, 即单层LB膜的缺陷比多层膜的多, 且更容易受到基片的影响.     

Langmuir-Shäfer transfer of fullerenes and porphyrins: formation, deposition, and application of versatile films

Thin films consisting of a fulleropyrrolidine derivative 1 and a novel water-soluble porphyrin 2 were prepared by the Langmuir-Sh?fer (LS, horizontal lifting) method. In particular, a solution of 1 in chloroform and dimethyl sulfoxide was spread on the water surface, while porphyrin 2 (bearing peripheral anionic groups) was dissolved into the aqueous subphase. To the best of our knowledge, such a versatile method of film fabrication for fullerene/porphyrin mixed composite films has never been used before. Evidence of the effective interactions between the two moieties at the air-water interface was obtained from the analysis of the floating layers by means of surface pressure versus area per molecule Langmuir curves, Brewster angle microscopy and UV-visible reflection spectroscopy. The characterisation of the LS films by UV-visible spectroscopy reveals that the two constituents behave as discrete and weakly interacting pi systems. The use of polarised light suggests the existence of a preferential direction of the macrocyclic rings with an edge-on arrangement with respect to the substrate surface. Finally, photoaction spectra were recorded from films deposited by only one horizontal lifting onto indium-tin-oxide (ITO) electrodes and the observed photocurrent increased notably with increasing transfer surface pressure.     

Processes of molecular association and excimeric emission in protonated N,N-dimethylformamide

Formation of associates of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) molecules was studied to clarify their role in photoluminescent activity of protonated DMF solutions. The association of DMF molecules was observed in dilute aqueous solutions at concentrations of DMF above approximately 4x10(-2) M. The association is enhanced when the CO bond of the DMF molecule is activated by protonation with hydrochloric acid, which leads to appearance of an excimeric emission at approximately 530 nm. The excitation spectrum of the excimeric emission showed the excitation maximum in the region of the absorption of DMF associates, which is a first evidence of a more complex mechanism of excimer formation originating from excitation of associated rather than monomeric molecules in the ground state. A simple approach was provided to evaluate a number of molecules in the excimer structure. An original theory has been developed, and it was calculated that the DMF excimer has a dimeric nature. A model of the excimer formation was proposed, which suggests that a hydrogen-bonded associate is an intermediate form leading to the excimeric structure upon excitation. It was observed that DMF possesses also a monomeric emission with the emission maximum at approximately 385 nm, which was attributed to the intramolecular charge-transfer process. It has been found that the change in structure of the DMF associates via the liquid-solid phase transition affects both excitation and emission bands of excimers, so that the excimeric emission shifts to the blue region and intermixes with the emission of DMF monomers.     

New insight into surface properties of LB film of an amphiphilic terpolymer

Amphiphilic terpolymer(TPR) exhibits good film-forming behavior on pure water observed by means ofπ-A isotherms.To gain insight into physical properties of TPR,the films have been deposited on silicon substrates at different surface pressure by Langmuir-Blodgett(LB) technique.It was found that the increase in peak intensities of stretching mode was due to orderly packing of the films.The contact angles increased with increasing surface pressure,indicating an increase in hydrophobicity due to dense packing of chains of TPR.The cyclic voltammetric measurements indicated that TPR showed good current shielding effect for electron-transfer.In a word,LB films of TPR can produce a variety of structures with varied topography,enabling us to control not only the functionality of the surface,but also the interfacial transport characteristics.     

Interaction between organophosphorous hydrolase and paraoxon studied by surface chemistry in situ at air-water interface

Subphase conditions have been optimized to obtain stable organophosphorous hydrolase (OPH-EC 3.1.8.1) as Langmuir films. The Langmuir film was characterized by surface pressure and surface potential-area isotherms and UV-Vis spectroscopy in situ. The interaction of an organophosphorous compound, namely Paraoxon, with the OPH film was investigated for various surface pressures. The stability of the monolayer and the evidence of the enzyme activity at air-water interface support the use of enzyme LB films as biosensor.