Investigation of the temperature effect on the formation of a two-dimensional self-assembled network at the liquid/solid interface

Abstract

In this work, we investigate the temperature effect on the formation of self-assembled molecular networks (SAMNs) at the liquid/solid interface, focusing on an alkylated achiral glycine derivative at the 1-phenyloctane/HOPG interface. Using STM with an in situ heating stage, we comprehensively examine the concentration-temperature phase space for 2D network formation. This study allows us to determine the enthalpic and entropic contributions to the Gibbs free energy (ΔG) of monolayer formation, revealing that the process is enthalpically driven. Moreover, we further develop our previously established Ising code by incorporating temperature dependence, which provides valuable insights into the interplay of enthalpic and entropic factors. Our findings, supported by both experimental and theoretical analyses, demonstrate a strong agreement in thermodynamic parameters, validating our model as a proof of concept for studying temperature effects in SAMN formation. This research underscores the importance of understanding enthalpic and entropic contributions for the successful utilization of 2D molecular self-assembly.