Comment on: “(2 × 1)-(1 × 1) phase transition on Ge(0 0 1): quasi-chemical approximation and Monte Carlo simulations” [Surface Science 563 (2004) 99–109]

Electrochemical measurements, in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) observation, and molecular mechanics (MM) simulations were performed to study the physiochemical properties such as the corrosion-inhibition effect and the optimal packing structure of o-aminothiophenol (OATP) self-assembled monolayer (SAM) formed on Fe(1 1 0) surface in 0.1 M NaClO4 solution. The formation of OATP SAMs drastically depressed the Faradaic processes at the Fe(1 1 0) surface and reduced the electrical double-layer capacitance at the electrode/electrolyte interface, revealing the anticorrosion property and the blocking behavior of OATP adlayers. Two-dimensional ordered molecular arrays of OATP on Fe(1 1 0) surface with a p(2 × 2) commensurate structure were observed by STM measurements. MM calculations showed that the p(2 × 2) packing pattern is indeed the preferable structure for OATP molecules adsorbed on Fe(1 1 0), in accordance with STM experiments. The OATP SAM on Fe(1 1 0) is ≈0.50 nm in thickness and with a dielectric constant of ∼7.0.