X-ray study of LB multilayers of cadmium soaps in the vicinity of the break up point

Temperature dependent SAXS measurements were carried out on multilayers of two different salts, cadmium palmitate (hexadecanoate) and behenate (docosanoate). The pattern characteristic of layer structure disappears at a transition temperature well below the bulk melting point in both cases. Examination by means of optical microscopy shows that the LB films break up at a temperature close to this transition. Measurements in its vicinity demonstrate that over a certain temperature range just below the transition a second set of peaks arises in the diffraction pattern. During this transition region of about 3 °C width two d-spacings for both salts were found, suggesting the simultaneous existence of two different structures for each component at the same temperature.     

Structural and electrical characterisation of betaine-type,organic, molecular,thin evaporated films and LB multilayers

The structure and electrical properties of highly polar indandione-1,3 pyridinium betaine (IPB) derivatives have been studied in vacuum-evaporated thin films and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) multilayer assemblies. Phase transitions induced by temperature and/or electric field have been observed in LB films of an amphiphilic derivative of IPB.The LB films of IPB, obtained at room temperature, form a Y-like structure which melts at about 50 °C to produce spherical domains, having Z-like structure, which remain stable up to 110 °C. Similar phase transitions can be induced by an electric field with ε ≥ 2 × 10⁵ V cm⁻¹ at room temperature. In the new Z-like phase of the IPB LB films, the electrical conductivity increases by some five or six orders of magnitude and the activation energy of dark conductivity decreases from 0.18 ± 0.03 eV to practically zero.The vacuum-evaporated IPB films yield low electrical conductivity (σ = 10⁻¹⁵–10⁻¹⁶S cm⁻¹), whereas in the LB multilayers a notable anisotropy of conductivity is observed. In case of coplanar cells the conductivity increases to σ = 10⁻⁸S cm⁻¹. In sandwich-type LB samples the conductivity value is similar to that of the vacuum-evaporated polycrystalline thin films.     

Characterisation of ultra-thin films of oxidised bacterial cellulose for enhanced anchoring and build-up of polyelectrolyte multilayers

The process of catalytic oxidation of bacterial cellulose (BC) ultra-thin films with 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy was investigated along with their capability to adsorb oppositely charged polyelectrolytes of chitosan and alginate. The time-dependent oxidation of BC films was analysed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) experiments. A negatively charged surface was achieved by inserting carboxylic groups, which was augmented by prolonged media exposure (17.9 %), compared with a fast oxidation process (9.1 %). Polyelectrolyte deposition was followed by QCM, which indicated that BC oxidation increased the first layer uptake of chitosan 17-fold (?105.0?±?1.5 Hz) in comparison with unoxidised BC (?6.0?±?0.2 Hz), confirming the capability of oxidised BC surfaces to exhibit strong electrostatic interactions and to support the build-up of a thicker multilayer system. These findings indicate that oxidised BC surfaces are capable of immobilising and detecting several charged species.     

Polysaccharide-based polyelectrolyte multilayers

In recent years, the layer-by-layer technique has grown in various fields. One of the emerging trends of bio-applications is the use of polysaccharides as main film components, which stems from their intrinsic physical, chemical and biological properties. These allow the simple formation, by self-assembly, of new kinds of mimics of extra-cellular matrices from plant and animal tissues. These assemblies, which possess specific properties arising from their hydration and internal composition, can indeed contain additional functionalities obtained by chemical modification of the biopolymers or film post-processing. They can be molded into different forms (films, membranes, and capsules).     

Self-assembling bipyridinium multilayers

The identification of strategies to assemble nanostructured films with engineered properties on solid supports can lead to the development of innovative functional materials. In particular, the self-assembly of electroactive multilayers from simple molecular building blocks on metallic electrodes can offer the opportunity to regulate the exchange of electrons between the underlying substrate and solution species. In this context, we designed an experimental protocol to prepare electroactive films from bipyridinium bisthiols. Specifically, we found that a compound incorporating two bipyridinium dications at its core and terminal thiol groups self-assembles into remarkably stable multilayers on polycrystalline gold. The surface coverage of the resulting films can be regulated by adjusting the exposure time of the gold substrate to the bipyridinium solution. Control experiments with appropriate model compounds demonstrate that both bipyridinium dications as well as both thiol groups must be present in the molecular skeleton to encourage multilayer growth. The resulting films transport electrons efficiently from the electrode surface to the film/solution interface. Indeed, they mediate the reduction of Ru(NH(3))(6)(3+) in the electrolyte solution but prevent the back oxidation of the resulting Ru(NH(3))(6)(2+). Furthermore, these polycationic bipyridinium films capture electrostatically Fe(CN)(6)(4-) tetraanions, which can also be exploited to transport electrons across the interfacial assembly. In fact, electrons can travel through the bipyridnium(2+/1+) couples to redox probes in solution and then back to the electrode through the Fe(CN)(6)(4/3-) couples. Thus, our original approach to self-assembling multilayers can produce stable electroactive films with unique electron transport properties, which can be regulated with a careful choice of the anionic components.     

Ordered polyelectrolyte multilayers. Rules governing layering in organic binary multilayers

We study the growth and internal structure of polyelectrolyte multilayers obtained by combining three polyanions with nine polycations of the ionene family, of systematically varied chemical architecture. We find that, contrary to a generally held belief, ordered organic multilayers are by no way exceptional, provided one of the polyelectrolytes bears groups which induce structure in water, such as long hydrophobic segments or mesogenic groups. However, this condition is not sufficient, as order will or will not emerge in the multilayer depending on the specific pairing of the polyelectrolytes. The results support the notion that layering in the multilayer results from some degree of prestructuring of a water-swollen layer adsorbed during each step of deposition. These findings pave the way to new possible uses of polyelectrolyte multilayers, for example, for applications requiring preferential alignment or strong confinement of specific functional groups.     

Monolayers and multilayers of uranyl arachidate: in-plane structure of uranyl arachidate multilayers

The molecular in-plane structure of uranyl arachidate Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films formed at different subphase pH values was analysed by means of X-ray grazing-incidence diffraction. For multilayers formed at low subphase pH a reorganisation of the arachidic acid film structure is confirmed. At appropriate subphase pH values, reorganisation of the film structure e.g. via the formation of three-dimensional crystallites, is prevented by the presence of the uranyl ions and by the subsequent introduction of conformational disorder (gauche defects) in the alkyl chains. The observation of a macroscopic flow-induced in-plane texture in these uranyl arachidate LB films has profound implications for the design of ordered, supramolecular structures by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique.     

LB膜与分子器件

LB膜技术是本世纪20—30年代由美国科学家Langmuir及其学生Blodgett建立的一种单分子膜堆积技术,即在水—气界面上将分子加以紧密排列,然后转移到固体上的技术。关于双亲分子(即分子一头为亲水基团,另一头为憎水基团,如脂肪酸)在水面上能铺展为单分子膜的现象,早为许多人所发现。例如1774年,Franklin就做过实验,用一茶匙的油就足以使半英亩池塘的波浪平静下来。     

Preparation of organized protein multilayers

A novel technique of preparation of multilayer assemblies consisting of a controlled number of molecular layers of various proteins arranged according to a predetermined architecture is described. The multilayers were formed by consecutive adsorption of polyanions and positively charged proteins below their isoelectric point and covalently crosslinked via protein amino groups. Polyanions were washed out from the crosslinked protein assembly by rinsing with buffer in which the net charge of the proteins was inverted.     

聚乙烯醇缩丁醛LB膜制备及其对硬脂酸镉LB膜的修饰

研究了PVB单分子膜的π～A曲线和稳定性,沉积了优质LB膜,发现将PVB与CdSt₂形成交替异质的LB膜能提高膜的光学质量;在CdSt₂LB膜的上面封装PVBLB膜能保持CdSt₂LB膜的结构。     

Polymerization of vinyl stearate multilayers

A study was made of the solid-state polymerization of built-up monomolecular layers of vinyl stearate. Polymerization was initiated by exposing the samples to ⁶⁰Co γ-radiation. The reactions were followed by multiple internal reflection infrared spectroscopy. The structure of the multilayer monomer and polymer was studied by x-ray diffraction. Surface properties of the multilayers were studied by contact-angle measurements. Results showed that, under the proper conditions, monomer multilayers of vinyl stearate could be polymerized to virtually 100% completion. Reaction was favored by higher irradiation temperatures, larger doses of radiation, and by higher reaction temperatures. The x-ray diffraction photographs indicated that both the monomer and polymer multilayers possessed some single crystal character. Contact-angle measurements indicated that the molecules in both the monomer and polymer multilayers were closely packed.     

Polymerization of diacetylenes in multilayers

A series of amphiphilic diacetylene monocarbonic acids was synthesized, and their ability to form monolayers at the air–water interphase was investigated. Acids with total number of C atoms ≥20 and mp >45°C form surface states suitable to be used for buildup of multilayers by the Langmuir–Blodgett technique. Using the LB technique, multilayers of defined thickness were built up on quartz substrates. The multilayers were polymerized by exposure to a UV light source according to the mechanism of solid-state polymerization of diacetylenes without destruction of the layer structure and with retention of the packing in the individual layers. Thus well-defined polymer multilayers were obtained. The monomer and polymer multilayers were characterized by UV spectra, x-ray small-angle diffraction, and interference microscopic and electron microscopic techniques. The polyconjugated backbones of the polymer chains are all stretched out in the plane of the substrate but not over macroscopic dimensions because the multilayers have a crystalline domain structure. The polymer multilayer films are quite stable under ambient conditions.     

Precursor method for polymeric LB films

First, the general concept of the “Precursor Method” for the preparation of polymeric Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films that possess no long alkyl chain between film layers, and the preparation of polybenzothiazole 7 LB film are described. The preparation of 7 LB film was carried out by the same procedure as that used to make polyimide LB films via precursor LB films of polyamides that contain β-carboxyethylthio alkylamine salts 6. Precursor 6 LB film had a Y type structure with monolayer thickness of 2.8 nm, while polybenzothiazole 7 LB film had 0.34 nm. The nonlinear susceptibility χ⁽³⁾ of polybenzothiazole 7 LB film in parallel to the dipping direction was 3.8 × 10⁻¹¹ esu, whereas the susceptibility in the perpendicular direction was about one fifth of that of the parallel direction.     

长链脂肪酸LB膜的X射线衍射研究

利用Langmuir-Blodgett技术制备了硬脂酸、花生酸及其混合酸的多层LB膜。用低角X射线衍射研究了它们的周期结构,硬脂酸和花生酸的LB膜在2θ=0.8°～23°的范围内分别出现13个和12个布拉格衍射峰,由此计算了它们的等同周期。用模型计算了它们衍射峰的强度,得到了与实验一致的衍射强度奇偶起伏的结果。在混合酸的LB膜中,可以观察到等同周期随混合比变化的规律。     

酞菁化合物LB单分子膜的SERRS

酞菁类化合物具有优良的光电特性,选择适当的取代侧链可得到稳定的LB成膜材料,可望在微电子器件等方面获得重要的应用.本工作观测了四-4-(2,4-二特戊基苯氧基)酞菁铜(CuPc(Dt-PP)_4)在银岛膜上的LB单分子层的表面增强共振拉曼散射(SERRS)光谱。比较其固体粉末的共振拉曼散射(RRS)光谱,讨论了酞菁铜分子大环在载片表面的取向及其可能的原因。1 实验CuPc(Dt-PP)_4样品由陈文启等合成,经元素分析、IR、NMR、色谱等研究确认其结构如图1所示.银岛膜用真空蒸镀法制备在玻璃载片上。用同时蒸镀在铜网上的银膜的透射电     

Interfacial reactions in chromium-carbon multilayers

Thermal modifications due to interfacial compound formation in magnetron sputtered Cr-C multilayers have been investigated in the temperature range between 450° C and 580° C and the formation of interfacial carbides has been discussed on the basis of thermodynamic and kinetic considerations. Grain boundary diffusion accompanied by grain growth proportional to the reacted layer thickness has been assumed to account for the observed t^1/3 time dependence of the growth rate. The compound layer growth has been thermally activated with an activation energy of Q_G=0.85 eV.     

Non-electrostatic building of biomimetic cellulose-xyloglucan multilayers

Layer-by-layer assembly was used to build thin films, consisting of multiple layers alternating cellulose nanocrystals and xyloglucan, benefiting from the strong non-electrostatic cellulose-xyloglucan interaction. Data from atomic force microscopy and neutron reflectivity showed that these well-defined films exhibited a thickness increasing linearly with the number of layers, without increase in surface roughness. These "green" nanocomposite films, reminiscent of plant cell wall, are composed of a regular stack of single layers of cellulose nanocrystals separated by very thin xyloglucan spacers. Such architecture differs from the one formed by cellulose/polycations multilayers, where the cellulose phase itself consists of a double layer.