The surface coverage of mercaptohexadecanoic acid (MHDA) adsorbed on nanocrystalline SnO2 thin films is presented. MHDA can act as a molecular linker in the attachment of quantum dots to the SnO2 film, which would have applications in sensing and photovoltaic devices. SnO2 thin films were prepared via a low cost doctor blade method, in which colloidal SnO2 is spread across a glass substrate using a pastuer pipette. Nanocrystalline films were achieved with an annealing step at 450°C. SnO2 films with an average thickness of 2 microns and an average particle size of 25 nm were characterized. Films were immersed in a 2 mM solution of MHDA in THF for at least 2 hours. Using FTIR spectroscopy, integrated absorbance was measured between 2800-3000 cm-1. This region is where the CH2 symmetric and asymmetric stretches occur from the surface adsorbed MHDA. Using a modified Beer-Lambert equation the surface coverage of MHDA on the SnO2 film was calculated to be 1.1 + 0.1 x 10-7 mol/cm2, which closely agrees with previously reported surface coverages of MHDA on nanocrystalline TiO2 thin films. Future studies will explore the catalytic nature of these SnO2 films.

Quantifying the surface coverage of mercaptohexadecanoic acid on nanocrystalline SnO2 thin films

250th National Meeting (2015)

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