Surface properties of substituted-benzenethiol monolayers on gold and silver: Work function, wettability, and surface tension

The surface properties, including work function and wettability, of Au and Ag surfaces modified with various substituted benzenethiols have been investigated. Whereas the work functions of the modified Au surfaces ranged from 4.42 to 5.48 eV, those of the modified Ag surfaces ranged from 3.99 to 5.77 eV. The highest work function of 5.77 eV was obtained on the Ag surface modified with pentafluorobenzenethiol, and the lowest work function of 3.99 eV was obtained on the Ag surface modified with 4-methylbenzenethiol. The water contact angle on modified Au surfaces was found to be in a wide range from 30.9 to 88.3 degrees. The water contact angle on the Au surface modified with a substituted benzenethiol was close to that on the Ag surface modified with the same benzenethiol. Furthermore, the tension of the modified Au surfaces was estimated from their contact angles of water and ethylene glycol. (C) 2016 The Japan Society of Applied Physics