An electron diffraction study of ω‐tricosenoic acid Langmuir‐Blodgett films

Abstract

ω‐Trieosenoie‐ acid is a promising new material for Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films. This paper reports an investigation of the packing of molecules of this acid in LB films using the techniques of high-energy transmission and reflection electron diffraction. The four distinct packing arrangements that have been observed are all different from that of the bulk crystal, and the one adopted by the film is determined both by the substrate and the deposition conditions used. In three of the four arrangements, the long aliphatic chains are packed at maximum density, while in the fourth an unusual packing of the molecules is reported in which their chain axes lie in the plane of the LB film. In addition, two of the four arrangements are observed to give rise to anisotropic deposition.