Studies on the characteristics of LB films of N,N-dimethylferrocenylmethylhexadecylammonium bromide

N,N-dimethylferrocenylmethylhexadecylammonium bromide (FC16AB) was synthesized and used to prepare monolayers and LB films. The surface pressure–molecular area (π–A) isotherms and differentiated isotherm data and E–A curves of FC16AB on different subphases were studied. The results demonstrated that the orientation of ferrocene (Fc) moiety within FC16AB monolayer was that the cyclopentadienyl ring nearly parallel to the air/water interface on aqueous subphase. The compressibility of FC16AB monolayer increased with the increase of concentration of counterions (Cl−) in subphase. UV–vis absorption spectra of FC16AB showed that close molecular packing such as H-aggregates existed in the LB films. FTIR spectra at room temperatures suggested that the disordering in the alkyl chain may connect with the orientation of the Fc moiety of FC16AB in the LB film.