Electronic interactions of a new quatertiophene-based surfactants atliquid/gas interface

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel quaterthiophene-based surfactant that adsorbs at water/gas interfaces and aggregates via pi-pi stacking, with potential applications in water-based opto-electronic devices.

Contribution

It reports the synthesis and in situ characterization of a new surfactant with unique interfacial aggregation properties for opto-electronic applications.

Findings

Successful synthesis of a quaterthiophene-based surfactant.

In situ demonstration of surface adsorption and aggregation.

Potential for designing new water-based opto-electronic devices.

Abstract

We report the synthesis of a new functional molecule, a quater-tiophene based surfactant, which can both adsorb at the water / gas interface (surface active molecule) and aggregates through pi-pi stacking interactions. We assess then the ability of this molecule to create these functionalities at interfaces. This interfacial functional aggregation, characterized here in situ for the first time, is probed thanks to Langmuir trough experiments and spectrometric ellipsometry. These results open some new routes for the design of new water based opto-electronic devices.