A Study on the Formation and Thermal Stability of 11-MUA SAMs on Au(111)/Mica and on Polycrystalline Gold Foils

In this article we present a comprehensive study of 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid self-assembled monolayer (SAM) formation on gold surfaces. The SAMs were prepared in ethanolic solution, utilizing two different substrates: Au(111)/ mica and polycrystalline gold foils. Several experimental methods (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy) reveal a well-defined SAM. The main focus of this work, however, was to test the stability of these SAMs by thermal desorption spectroscopy. The spectra show different desorption peaks indicating different adsorption states and/or decomposition products on the surface. The assumed monolayer peak, which can be attributed to desorption of the intact molecule, is detected at 550 K. Further desorption peaks can be found, which result, e.g., from cracking of the S-C bond on the surface, depending on the substrate quality and on the residence time under ambient conditions.