Imaging the Predicted Isomerism of Oligo(aniline)s: A Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Study

James O Thomas; Hugo D Andrade; Benjamin M Mills; Neil A Fox; Heinrich J K Hoerber; Charl F J Faul

doi:10.1002/smll.201500511

Imaging the Predicted Isomerism of Oligo(aniline)s: A Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Study

Small. 2015 Jul;11(28):3430-4. doi: 10.1002/smll.201500511. Epub 2015 Mar 18.

Authors

James O Thomas^{1

2}, Hugo D Andrade², Benjamin M Mills³, Neil A Fox², Heinrich J K Hoerber², Charl F J Faul³

Affiliations

¹ Bristol Centre for Functional Nanomaterials, Centre for NSQI, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, BS8 1FD, UK.
² H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, BS8 1TL, UK.
³ School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, BS8 1TS, UK.

Abstract

The self-assembly of two emeraldine base tetra(aniline) derivatives is investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy. A combination of the scanning tunneling microscopy data and calculations reveals the presence of predicted cis/trans isomerism in this oxidation state. This isomerism is shown to hinder self-assembly into ordered structures, and provides indications as to why the properties of these materials, and their parent polymer, polyaniline, remain unfulfilled.

Keywords: density functional calculations; isomers; oligomers; scanning tunneling microscopy; thin films.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't