Self-organization of surfactant molecules on solid surface: an STM study of sodium alkyl sulfonates

Adsorption and self-organization of sodium alkyl sulfonates (STS and SHS) on HOPG have been studied by using in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Both SHS and STS molecules adsorb on HOPG surface and form long-range well-ordered monolayers. The molecular rows and the axes of alkyl chain of the molecules cross each other at angles of 60° and 90° in the STS and SHS layers, respectively. Molecular details such as sulfonate functional group (head) and alkyl chain are clearly imaged. The neighboring molecules in different rows form a “head to head” configuration. Structural models for the molecular arrangement of the two adlayers are proposed.