Structure and amphiphilic behavior of perfluoro alkyl alkanes: solid state studies and characterization of adsorbed monolayers on alkanes |
Schlüsselwörter:
lamellare Phasen; Gibbs-Filme; Perfluoralkylalkane; Röntgendiffraktion; Röntgenreflektivität; Röntgendiffraktion unter streifendem Einfall
lamellar phases; Gibbs monolayer; perfluor alkyl alkanes; X-Ray diffraction; X-Ray reflectivity; GIXD
Abstract
Within this work the structure of pure perfluoro alkyl alkanes (PFAA, FmHn) in two different solid phases and of PFAA/alkane gels was examined by means of X-Ray powder diffraction and the surface behavior of solutions of PFAA substances was studied.
From small angle and wide angle diffraction data the solid high temperature phase of a set of PFAA substances was identified as lamellar and was characterized in terms of a unit cell. The molecules are found to stand perpendicularly on the lamellar layers and indicate - similarly to thestructure of the rotator phases of n-alkanes - a lateral packing with hexagonal symmetry, having a density which corresponds to crystalline polytetrafluorethylene. In the low-temperature phase the structure depends on the length ratio of the two blocks. At low temperatures F12H6 crystallizes in a tilted lamellar structure and for F12Hn with 8 <= n <= 12 a more complex structure of undulating bilayers was found. Due to the arrangement of the molecules in layers a microphase separation of the two incompatible blocks occurs, and in the case of bilayers at low temperatures, the contact between fluorinated and hydrogenated chains is limited to the loci of the covalent bonds only.
Contrary to the results of recent studies, the so-called gel phases of concentrated PFAA/alkane mixtures were clearly identified as networks of needle-like PFAA crystallites surrounded by saturated solution having the same structure as the pure substances in their low-temperature phase.
It is known that PFAA molecules are surface active in alkanes. The results of this work indicate a great incompatibility between alkanes and PFAA. In fact, under suitable conditions a first-order surface phase transition occurs and solid-like monolayers, i.e. Gibbs-films of PFAA-molecules are formed on top of alkaneous solutions. This process was characterized thermodynamically by analysis of surface tension data and the structure of the monolayers was elucidated by means of different surface sensitive methods. From the analysis of X-Ray reflectivity data electron density profiles of the surface were obtained clearly indicating a layer of high electron density having a thickness of only a few \AA ngström. This result can be explained assuming a relatively closely packed monolayer of PFAA molecules on top of the solution. Grazing incidence X-Ray diffraction experiments confirmed this speculation. The Gibbs films show a hexagonal lateral order with a surface area per molecule of about 29 Angström2. This value agrees very well with the minimum space requirement of perfluorinated chains. Within the monolayer the packing incompatibility between fluorinated and hydrogenated chains, which have a noticeable smaller cross-sectional area of about 19 Angström2, is compensated by inclination of the hydrocarbon segments.
Investigations of PFAA substances with different segment lengths m and n in different solvents (dodecane, hexadecane and bicyclohexane) as well as the variation of concentration and temperature show the influence of these parameters on the film formation and its structure.
Betreuer | Findenegg, Gerhard H.; Prof. Dr. |
Gutachter | Findenegg, Gerhard H.; Prof. Dr. |
Gutachter | Möhwald, Helmuth; Prof. Dr. |
Upload: | 2000-10-19 |
URL of Theses: | http://edocs.tu-berlin.de/diss/2000/marczuk_piotr.pdf |