Phase Transitions and Domain Structures in Monolayers

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Professor Knobler is supported by a grant from the Theoretical and Computational Chemistry Program to continue his studies of Langmuir monolayers of amphiphiles. He is examining long range order in self organizing monlayers, and the phase transitions which occur in these two dimensional assemblies. Fluorescence microscopy and Brewster angle microscopy are used to distinguish the optical textures corresponding to different molecular orientations. The experimental results are compared with a mean-field theory of these textures which has been developed. These methods will also be employed to examine the structures and kinetics of growth of mosaic textures that are characteristic of certain condensed monolayer phases. Langmuir monolayers are films of a single molecular layer that can be formed at the interface between air and water. They are composed of amphiphilic moleucles such as long chain fatty acids, esters and alcohols. Such films provide an opportunity to study two-dimensional systems, and they provide structural insights into biochemical systems such as lipid bilayers. These monolayers can be transferred as Langmuir-Blodgett films to solid supports, and may be employed as sensors, and as electronic devices.