Development of Bidentate Phosphonic Acid Based Self-Assembled Monolayers on Silver

Self-assembled monolayers are a significant means to achieve a nanoscale modification in surface chemistry. Self-assembled monolayers have been applied to a wide range of scientific fields ranging from chemical processes, biomolecule embraced surfaces to microelectromechanical systems (MEMs). Various types of combinations of adsorbates and substrates for self-assembled monolayers have been proposed and research continues to introduce newly designed substances possessing unique properties. This thesis describes the development of bidentate phosphonic acid-based self-assembled monolayers on silver for the purpose of constructing surface patterns on silver-coated superconducting films. Chapter 1 describes the basic concepts of patterned self-assembled monolayers which fabricate sophisticated nanoscale architecture and many types of patterning strategies are reported. In addition, a variety of recent applications of the patterned self-assembled monolayers are introduced in this chapter. Based on the background studied in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 is a study of a newly designed, synthesized, and characterized perfluoroterminated aromatic bidentate phosphonic acid adsorbate and its corresponding self-assembled monolayer on silver-coated yttrium barium copper oxide superconducting tapes. Perfluoroterminated aromatic bidentate phosphonic acid creates a relatively well-ordered thin film on silver with high hydrophobicity that can potentially be used to pattern superconducting tapes.