Two-Dimensional Self-Assembly of 2,4,6-Tris(4,4,4-trimethylphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine Star-Shaped Molecules: Nanoarchitecture Structure and Domain Boundaries
Résumé
The self-assembly of the star-shaped 2,4,6-tris(4′,4″,4‴-trimethylphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine molecule is investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at the solid/liquid interface. This molecule self-assembles into a large-scale close-packed nanoarchitecture stabilized by van der Waals interactions on graphite. High-resolution STM images reveal intramolecular features; i.e., the molecular central ring appears brighter in the high-resolution STM images where nitrogen atoms are located. In addition, STM images show that molecules are mobile at the domain boundary when neighboring domains are aligned. In comparison, the molecular close packing is preserved at the boundary where neighboring domains are shifted.