Selective nontemplated adsorption of organic molecules on nanofacets and the role of bonding patterns

Phys Rev Lett. 2006 Oct 13;97(15):156105. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.156105. Epub 2006 Oct 13.

Abstract

A key element of functionalizing nanocrystals with organic molecules is the nontemplated selective adsorption of different molecules on different facets. Here we report scanning-tunneling-microscopy images of perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic-dianhydride and 2,5-dimethyl-N,N'-dicyanoquinonediimine on silver, demonstrating selective adsorption on different facets. We also report first-principles calculations that account for the data and show that bonding, which controls selectivity, occurs via the end atoms, while the molecule's midregion arches away from the substrate. The results are also consistent with data that have been interpreted in terms of bonding via the midregion.