Preparation of Organic Thin Films by Micellar Disruption Method under Various Electrolytic and Solution Conditions

Abstract

Organic thin films (azo-dye films) were prepared by micellar disruption method, under various electrolytic and solution conditions. This method is based on the deposition of a solubilizate onto an electrode, which is preceded by the micellar distruption and the subsequent release of the solubilizate in the vicinity of the electrode. The growth of the film depended on the rate of electrolysis (rpm), the amount of electricity (Q), the concentration of the surfactant ([surfactant]) and the solubilizate ([solubilizate]), and the type of the surfactant. The increase in the value of Q and [solubilizate] and the decrease in rpm promoted the growth of the film, while the increase in [surfactant] depressed the growth. These results were explained on the basis of solubilization and adsorption equilibrium for the azo-dye released from the micelle.
In addition, the experiments revealed that the film was formed in two stages: a layer of globular nuclei was formed on the electrode, followed by the growth of needle-like crystals on the layer, and that a pyridinium-type surfactant was preffered over alkylammonium-type ones in that the film grew more rapidly in the former surfactant systems than in the latter.