Structure and phase transitions of monolayers of intermediate-length n-alkanes on graphite studied by neutron diffraction and molecular dynamics simulation.

We present evidence from neutron diffraction measurements and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of three different monolayer phases of the intermediate-length alkanes tetracosane (n-C(24)H(50) denoted as C24) and dotriacontane (n-C(32)H(66) denoted as C32) adsorbed on a graphite basal-plane surface. Our measurements indicate that the two monolayer films differ principally in the transition temperatures between phases. At the lowest temperatures, both C24 and C32 form a crystalline monolayer phase with a rectangular-centered (RC) structure. The two sublattices of the RC structure each consists of parallel rows of molecules in their all-trans conformation aligned with their long axis parallel to the surface and forming so-called lamellas of width approximately equal to the all-trans length of the molecule. The RC structure is uniaxially commensurate with the graphite surface in its [110] direction such that the distance between molecular rows in a lamella is 4.26 A=sqrt[3a(g)], where a(g)=2.46 A is the lattice constant of the graphite basal plane. Molecules in adjacent rows of a lamella alternate in orientation between the carbon skeletal plane being parallel and perpendicular to the graphite surface. Upon heating, the crystalline monolayers transform to a "smectic" phase in which the inter-row spacing within a lamella expands by approximately 10% and the molecules are predominantly oriented with the carbon skeletal plane parallel to the graphite surface. In the smectic phase, the MD simulations show evidence of broadening of the lamella boundaries as a result of molecules diffusing parallel to their long axis. At still higher temperatures, they indicate that the introduction of gauche defects into the alkane chains drives a melting transition to a monolayer fluid phase as reported previously.

Comparative study of normal and branched alkane monolayer films adsorbed on a solid surface. I. Structure.

The structure of a monolayer film of the branched alkane squalane (C30H62) adsorbed on graphite has been studied by neutron diffraction and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and compared with a similar study of the n-alkane tetracosane (n-C24H52). Both molecules have 24 carbon atoms along their backbone and squalane has, in addition, six methyl side groups. Upon adsorption, there are significant differences as well as similarities in the behavior of these molecular films. Both molecules form ordered structures at low temperatures; however, while the melting point of the two-dimensional (2D) tetracosane film is roughly the same as the bulk melting point, the surface strongly stabilizes the 2D squalane film such that its melting point is 91 K above its value in bulk. Therefore, squalane, like tetracosane, will be a poor lubricant in those nanoscale devices that require a fluid lubricant at room temperature. The neutron diffraction data show that the translational order in the squalane monolayer is significantly less than in the tetracosane monolayer. The authors' MD simulations suggest that this is caused by a distortion of the squalane molecules upon adsorption on the graphite surface. When the molecules are allowed to relax on the surface, they distort such that all six methyl groups point away from the surface. This results in a reduction in the monolayer's translational order characterized by a decrease in its coherence length and hence a broadening of the diffraction peaks. The MD simulations also show that the melting mechanism in the squalane monolayer is the same footprint reduction mechanism found in the tetracosane monolayer, where a chain melting drives the lattice melting.

Comparative study of normal and branched alkane monolayer films adsorbed on a solid surface. II. Dynamics.

The dynamics of monolayer films of the n-alkane tetracosane (n-C24H52) and the branched alkane squalane (C30H62) adsorbed on graphite have been studied by quasielastic and inelastic neutron scattering and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Both molecules have 24 carbon atoms along their carbon backbone, and squalane has an additional six methyl side groups symmetrically placed along its length. The authors' principal objective has been to determine the influence of the side groups on the dynamics of the squalane monolayer and thereby assess its potential as a nanoscale lubricant. To investigate the dynamics of these monolayers they used both the disk chopper spectrometer (DCS) and the high flux backscattering spectrometer (HFBS) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. These instruments made it possible to study dynamical processes such as molecular diffusive motions and vibrations on very different time scales: 1-40 ps (DCS) and 0.1-4 ns (HFBS). The MD simulations were done on corresponding time scales and were used to interpret the neutron spectra. The authors found that the dynamics of the two monolayers are qualitatively similar on the respective time scales and that there are only small quantitative differences that can be understood in terms of the different masses and moments of inertia of the two molecules. In the course of this study, the authors developed a procedure to separate out the low-frequency vibrational modes in the spectra, thereby facilitating an analysis of the quasielastic scattering. They conclude that there are no major differences in the monolayer dynamics caused by intramolecular branching. It remains to be seen whether this similarity in monolayer dynamics also holds for the lubricating properties of these molecules in confined geometries.

Intramolecular diffusive motion in alkane monolayers studied by high-resolution quasielastic neutron scattering and molecular dynamics simulations.

Molecular dynamics simulations of a tetracosane (n-C24H50) monolayer adsorbed on a graphite basal-plane surface show that there are diffusive motions associated with the creation and annihilation of gauche defects occurring on a time scale of approximately 0.1-4 ns. We present evidence that these relatively slow motions are observable by high-energy-resolution quasielastic neutron scattering (QNS) thus demonstrating QNS as a technique, complementary to nuclear magnetic resonance, for studying conformational dynamics on a nanosecond time scale in molecular monolayers.