Orientation Analysis of a Nonionic Amphiphile at the Water-Surface by Second-Harmonic Generation

Abstract

Second-harmonic generation and interfacial tension measurements have been used to study the adsorption behavior of a nonionic amphiphile, 1-(3′, 5′-di-t-butyl)phenyl-3-glycero-rac-glycerin at an air/water interface. The tensor components of the nonlinear surface susceptibility of the amphiphile have been determined by polarization rotation of the incident fundamental radiation. The comparison of the values of the several tensor components allows the description of the adsorption and orientation behavior of the molecules at an air/water interface.