Surface chemistry of thiols on copper: an efficient way of producing multilayers

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 244; no. 1; pp. 799 - 805
• Main Authors: Keller, H., Simak, P., Schrepp, W., Dembowski, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.05.1994
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/0040-6090(94)90574-6

Investigations on the surface chemistry of the self-assembly process (chemisorption) of thiols on copper are reported. The chemisorption was investigated on copper sheets and on copper powder. Copper exposed to air is covered qith a thin oxide layer. On contact with thiols the oxidic copper species are transformed to copper thiolates by a redox raction. Cu 2+ is reduced to Cu + and thiol (HSR) is oxidized to disulphide (RS-SR). Excess thiol forms copper thiolate complexes which build up self-assembled multilayers with layer thicknesses of 20–90 nm. The self-assembled thiolate layers cause a strong hydrophobization of the copper surface.