Two-dimensional self-assembly and co-assembly of two tetracarboxylic acid derivatives investigated by STM

Abstract

In this work, the two-dimensional self-assembly and co-assembly behaviors of two tetracarboxylic acid derivatives (H₄BDETP and H₄BTB) were investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). H₄BDETP molecules self-assembled into linear nanostructures, and H₄BTB molecules formed lamellar and tetragonal nanostructures. The formation of a H₄BDETP/H₄BTB co-assembly nanostructure was closely related to the deposition sequence of H₄BDETP and H₄BTB on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). The introduction of H₄BTB into the self-assembly system of H₄BDETP resulted in the emergence of the H₄BDETP/H₄BTB nanostructure, while the addition of H₄BDETP had no effect on the self-assembly system of H₄BTB and a H₄BDETP/H₄BTB co-assembly nanostructure was not obtained.