Atomic Force Microscopic Study of Subsurface Ordering and Structural Transforms in n-Alcohol on Mica and Graphite

Abstract
Structure forces inn-alcohols (CnH2n+1OH (8≤n≤12)) on the mica or graphite surfaces were investigated using an atomic force microscope (AFM). The structure force on graphite has a periodicity of ∼0.5 nm, which is independent of temperature. The structure force on mica has a periodicity of 0.86 nm whenT40° C. This phase transition corresponds to a change in the alignment of molecules on the surface from parallel (lying, atT40° C).