Langmuir-Blodgett films of a functionalized molecule with cross-sectional mismatch between head and tail

A functionalized surfactant has been investigated as floating monolayers by synchrotron x-ray diffraction and as bilayers transferred to solid supports by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique through atomic force microscopy. The transfer process is accompanied by an increase of the unit cell area (about 17 percent) and by an increase of the average domain diameter of nanometer-scale domains (about three times).

The unit cell area of the floating monolayer corresponds to close packing of the head groups and a noncharacteristic packing of the tilted alkyl chains. The larger unit cell area of the bilayer film is consistent with a particular ordered packing of the alkyl chains, leaving free space for the head groups.