On the complexation kinetics for metallization of organic layers: palladium onto a pyridine-terminated araliphatic thiol film.

Palladium nanoparticles have been deposited electrochemically onto self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of 4-(4-(4-pyridyl)phenyl)phenylmethanethiol. A pronounced correlation between the kinetics of the complexation between pyridine nitrogens and Pd cations and the sample potential has been observed. The amount of the Pd deposit significantly increases by adjusting the sample potential during the complexation step to values below the point of zero charge.

Electrochemical investigations on stability and protonation behavior of pyridine-terminated aromatic self-assembled monolayers.

Based on electrochemical methods such as cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Au(111) electrodes modified by self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of a homologous series of pyridine-terminated thiols with aromatic backbones have been investigated. An important correlation between the chain structure and film integrity in electrolytic media was found. Monolayers with odd numbers of methylene spacers in the molecular chain showed superior barrier properties compared to even numbered counterparts.