Monolayers update

A variety of silica samples were made using the modified Langmuir-Blodgett dipping method (1), varying the conditions  for each and SEM was performed.  A long range hexagonal monolayer was not formed but a few displayed streaks of monolayer spheres.  Spin coating was also performed however this also failed to create even streaky monolayer coverage of the sample.  One more method will be attempted before moving on to the next stage and working with the streaky monolayers and that is using ethanol as the solvent as well as increasing the immersion time before withdrawing the sample from the Langmuir trough.  The amount of coverage of the monolayers is not as crucial to this project as having some coverage.  The next phase is to create nanopillars on the surface, which will occur in the areas with nanosphers.  

(1) 

The Use of Surface Tension to Predict the Formation of 2D Arrays of Latex Spheres Formed via the Langmuir−Blodgett-Like Technique

Maricel Marquez and and Brian P. Grady*

Langmuir 2004 20 (25), 10998-11004