Adsorption state and morphology of anthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid deposited from solution onto the atomically-smooth native oxide surface of Al(111) films studied by infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy.

The adsorption state and morphology of anthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid (AQ-2-COOH) deposited from acetone solutions (0.02 - 1.00 mg ml(-1)) onto atomically-smooth native oxide surfaces of Al(111) films were investigated by infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The atomically-smooth oxide surfaces were prepared by vacuum evaporation of Al on mica substrates at 350 degrees C, followed by oxidation in an oxygen-dc glow discharge at room temperature. It was found that AQ-2-COOH is adsorbed on the film surfaces in both the neutral and ionized state, where the amount of the neutral molecules increases with increasing concentration. This molecule is adsorbed as both a uniform nanometer-scale film, and as micrometer-sized particles with heights ranging from 10 to 200 nm above the film surface. The volumes of the particles of deposited AQ-2-COOH increased with increasing concentration. It is concluded that the particles are microcrystallites of neutral AQ-2-COOH and that the thin uniform film results from AQ-2-COOH anion formation on the film surfaces. A comparison of the results obtained by use of these surface analytical techniques clearly shows the features and advantages of these tools.