Counterion binding induces attractive interactions between negatively-charged self-assembled monolayer of 3-mercaptopropionic acid on Au(111) in reductive desorption

The electrochemical reductive desorption of the self-assembled monolayers of 3-mercaptopropionic acid in an aqueous alkaline solution gives a sharp peak with the full width at half maximum of about 20 mV irrespective of the type of cations in a linear scan voltammogram. This suggests that a strong attractive interaction exists between negatively charged carboxylate groups in the self-assembled monolayer surface due to the counterion binding, which not only simply stabilizes the adsorbed carboxylates but also makes the interaction between the adsorbed thiolates even attractive possibly by forming a two-dimensional ionic crystal. The effect of tetraalkylammonium ions on the shape of the voltammograms was also examined. Dedicated to Professor Oleg Petrii on the occasion of his 70th birthday.