Scanning Probe Microscopy beyond Imaging: A General Tool for Quantitative Analysis

A simple, fast and general approach for quantitative analysis of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) images is reported. As a proof of concept it is used to determine with a high degree of precision the value of observables such as 1) the height, 2) the flowing current and 3) the corresponding surface potential (SP) of flat nanostructures such as gold electrodes, organic semiconductor architectures and graphenic sheets. Despite histogram analysis, or frequency count (Fc), being the most common mathematical tool used to analyse SPM images, the analytical approach is still lacking. By using the mathematical relationship between Fc and the collected data, the proposed method allows quantitative information on observable values close to the noise level to be gained. For instance, the thickness of nanostructures deposited on very rough substrates can be quantified, and this makes it possible to distinguish the contribution of an adsorbed nanostructure from that of the underlying substrate. Being non‐numerical, this versatile analytical approach is a useful and general tool for quantitative analysis of the Fc that enables all signals acquired and recorded by an SPM data array to be studied with high precision.     

Onset of Chiral Adenine Surface Growth

The structure and stability of adenine crystals and thin layers has been studied by using scanning tunneling microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and density functional theory calculations. We have found that adenine crystals can be grown in two phases that are energetically quasi‐degenerate, the structure of which can be described as a pile‐up of 2D adenine planes. In each plane, the structure can be described as an aggregation of adenine dimers. Under certain conditions, kinetic effects can favor the growth of the less stable phase. These results have been used to understand the growth of adenine thin films on gold under ultra‐high vacuum conditions. We have found that the grown phase corresponds to the α‐phase, which is composed of stacked prochiral planes. In this way, the adenine nanocrystals exhibit a surface that is enantiopure. These results could open new insight into the applications of adenine in biological, medical, and enantioselective or pharmaceutical fields.     

Effect of Non‐Specifically Adsorbed Ions on the Surface Oxidation of Pt(111)

The oxidation processes of a Pt(111) electrode in alkaline electrolytes depend on non‐specifically adsorbed ions according to in situ X‐ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopic measurements. In an aqueous solution of LiOH, an OH_ad adlayer is formed in the first oxidation step of the Pt(111) electrode as a result of the strong interaction between Li⁺ and OH_ad, whereas Pt oxidation proceeds without OH_ad formation in CsOH solution. Structural analysis by X‐ray diffraction indicates that Li⁺ is strongly protective against surface roughening caused by subsurface oxidation. Although Cs⁺ is situated near the Pt surface, the weak protective effect of Cs⁺ results in irreversible surface roughening due to subsurface oxidation.     

Ozone‐Induced Band Bending on Metal‐Oxide Surfaces Studied under Environmental Conditions

Ozone adsorption and decomposition on metal oxides is of wide interest in technology and in atmospheric chemistry. Here, ozone‐adsorption‐induced band bending is observed on Ti‐ and Fe‐oxide model surfaces under dry and humid conditions. Photoelectron spectroscopic studies indicate the effect of charge transfer to O₃, which limits the surface coverage of the precursor to decomposition reactions. This is also consistent with the negative pressure dependence observed in previous studies. These results contribute to our fundamental understanding of ozone adsorption and decomposition mechanisms on metal oxides of environmental and technological relevance.     

Temperature-Dependent Surface-Enrichment Effects of Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids

We present the first systematic study of the influence of temperature on the degree of surface enrichment of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs). Using angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we demonstrate that the degree of surface enrichment strongly decreases with increasing temperature for all the studied ILs. For ILs with the same cation, but different anions, [C₈C₁Im]Br, [C₈C₁Im][TfO] and [C₈C₁Im][Tf₂N], no significant differences of the temperature-induced partial loss of surface enrichment are found. Measurements for [C₄C₁Im][TfO], [C₈C₁Im][TfO] and [C₁₈C₁Im][TfO] indicate a small effect of the chain length. For [C₁₈C₁Im][TfO], a continuous decrease of alkyl surface enrichment is found with increasing temperature, with no abrupt changes at the phase-transition temperature from the smectic A to the isotropic phase, indicating that the surface enrichment is not affected by this phase transition.     

含取代基苯基羧酸与柔性含氮配体构筑的三个过渡配位化合物的合成、晶体结构与物理性质

利用3,5-二硝基苯甲酸（3,5-DNBH）,1,2-双咪唑亚甲苯（1,2-bimb）与3种过渡金属盐通过水热反应成功地构筑3个过渡金属配位化合物,即[M（3,5-DNB）₂（1,2-bimb）]（M=Co（Ⅱ） （1）,Cd（Ⅱ）（3））和[Zn（3,5-DNB）₂（1,2-bimb）]_n （2）。通过红外光谱、元素分析、单晶和粉末X射线衍射表征了这三个化合物。化合物1和3是同构的,含有一个双核单元[M₂（COO）₂],该双核单元由金属离子、3,5-二硝基苯甲酸根以及1,2-bimb分子构成。双核单元再通过O…π弱相互作用形成超分子结构,该弱相互作用是通过3,5-二硝基苯甲酸根上的硝基氧原子与1,2-bimb上的苯环所形成。化合物2是一维链结构,链与链之间再通过3,5-二硝基苯甲酸根和1,2-双咪唑亚甲苯配体上苯环之间的π…π相互作用,形成了一个超分子结构。室温条件下研究了化合物2和3分散在甲醇中的荧光性质。热重测试结果显示3个化合物具有相对较高的热稳定性。可见光照射条件下化合物1对罗丹明B具有一定的催化降解能力。此外,直流磁化率结果显示化合物1中金属离子之间存在反铁磁相互作用。     

4,4'-联吡啶桥联的三个铜有机膦酸配合物的合成、结构及磁性

在水热条件下,以N-氧化-2-吡啶膦酸（H2L）为主配体,4,4＇-联吡啶（bpy）为桥联配体,合成了3个铜有机膦酸配合物： {[CuL（bpy）0.5（H₂O）]·2H₂O}_n（1）, {[Cu（HL）₂（bpy）]·4H₂O}_n（2）和{[Cu₂（L）₂（bpy）]·3H₂O}_n（3）。配合物1中,相邻的铜离子由2个膦酸根连成二聚体,二聚体之间通过bpy桥联成一维链。配合物2中,单核[Cu（HL）₂]被bpy连接成一维链。配合物3中,四聚体[Cu₂（L）₂]₂被bpy连接成“砖块状”结构的二维层。磁性研究表明,配合物1和3中铜离子之间存在反铁磁性耦合。     

炔桥联不对称苯基取代双二茂铁衍生物的设计合成和电化学性质

以四苯基环戊二烯酮为起始原料,经过八步连续反应,成功地合成了3个炔桥联不对称五苯基取代双二茂铁衍生物Fc''-C≡C-Fc（1）、Fc''-C≡C-C≡C-Fc（2）和Fc''-C≡C-C≡C-Fc''（3）（Fc''=五苯基二茂铁基,Fc=二茂铁基）。在设计合成双二茂铁衍生物的过程中,首先经过4步反应,制备出已知化合物Fc''-H（4）,再连续进行3步反应,分别得到3个中间化合物Fc''-COCH₃（5）,Fc''-CCl=CHCHO（6）和Fc''-C≡CH（7）,最后利用偶联反应,得到目标化合物1~3。利用X射线单晶衍射和循环伏安法,测定了化合物1、2和5、7的晶体结构,研究了化合物1~7的电化学性质。研究结果表明,分子的C-H…π键相互作用和空间位阻是导致化合物1和2分子中Fc''和Fc基空间排布取向不同的主要原因。当二茂铁的一个环戊二烯环上引入5个苯取代基时,铁中心的氧化还原电位将升高（E_p^a（Fc''-H）=0.658 V,E_p^a（Fc-H）=0.511 V）。与已知化合物Fc-C≡C-Fc（ΔE=0.215 V）和Fc-C≡C-C≡C-Fc（ΔE=0.134 V）相比,化合物1~3的氧化电位差值（ΔE）均有不同程度地提高（ΔE₁=0.236 V;ΔE₂=0.170 V;ΔE₃=0.146 V）。将1与Fc-C≡C-Fc,2与Fc-C≡C-C≡C-Fc和3进行比较发现,当炔桥两端连接不同的基团Fc''和Fc时,其氧化电位差值（ΔE）将明显提高。