The constructive or destructive spectral interference between the molecular groups oriented up and down at the interface in the sum-frequency generation （SFG） spectra provides a direct measurement of the absolute or...The constructive or destructive spectral interference between the molecular groups oriented up and down at the interface in the sum-frequency generation （SFG） spectra provides a direct measurement of the absolute orientation of these molecular groups. This simple approach can be employed to interrogate absolute molecular orientations other than using the complex absolute phase measurement in the SFG studies. We used the -CN group in the p-cyanophenol （PCP） molecule as the internal phase standard, and we measured the phases of the SFG fields of the -CN groups in the 3,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-benzonitrile （35DMHBN） and 2,6-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-benzonitrile （26DMHBN） at the air/water interface by measuring the SFG spectra of the aqueous surfaces of the mixtures of the PCP, 35DMHBN, and 26DMHBN solutions. The results showed that the 35DMHBN had its -CN group pointing into the aqueous phase; while the 26DMHBN, similar to the PCP, had its -CN group pointing away from the aqueous phase. The tilt angles of the -CN group for both the 35DMHBN and 26DMHBN molecules at the air/water interface were around 25°-45° from the interface normal. These results provided insights on the understanding of the detailed balance of the competing factors, such as solvation of the polar head groups, hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic effects, etc., on influencing the absolute molecular orientation at the air/water interface.展开更多
The orientation angle is an important parameter that reflects the structure of molecules at interfaces. In order to obtain this parameter, second order nonlinear spectroscopic techniques including second harmonic gene...The orientation angle is an important parameter that reflects the structure of molecules at interfaces. In order to obtain this parameter, second order nonlinear spectroscopic techniques including second harmonic generation （SHG） and sum frequency generation-vibrational spec- troscopy （SFG-VS） have been successfully applied through analysis of the nonlinear signal from various polarizations. In some SHG and SFG-VS experiments, total internal reflection （TIR） configuration has been adopted to get enhanced signals. However, the reports on the detailed procedure of the polarization analysis and the calculation of the orientation angle of interracial molecules under TIR configuration are still very few. In this paper, we mea- sured the orientation angles of two molecules at the hexadecane-water interface under TIR and Non-TIR experimental configurations. The results measured from polarization analysis in TIR configuration consist with those obtained from Non-TIR configuration. This work demonstrates the feasibility and accuracy of polarization analysis in the determination of the orientation angle of molecules at the interfaces under TIR-SHG configuration.展开更多
基金Ⅵ. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Hong-fei Wang thanks the support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （No.20373076, No.20425309, and No.20533070） and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China （No.2007CB815205）. Zhi-feng Cui thanks the support by the Natural Science Foundation of China （No.10674002） and the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province （No.ZD2007001-1）.
文摘The constructive or destructive spectral interference between the molecular groups oriented up and down at the interface in the sum-frequency generation （SFG） spectra provides a direct measurement of the absolute orientation of these molecular groups. This simple approach can be employed to interrogate absolute molecular orientations other than using the complex absolute phase measurement in the SFG studies. We used the -CN group in the p-cyanophenol （PCP） molecule as the internal phase standard, and we measured the phases of the SFG fields of the -CN groups in the 3,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-benzonitrile （35DMHBN） and 2,6-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-benzonitrile （26DMHBN） at the air/water interface by measuring the SFG spectra of the aqueous surfaces of the mixtures of the PCP, 35DMHBN, and 26DMHBN solutions. The results showed that the 35DMHBN had its -CN group pointing into the aqueous phase; while the 26DMHBN, similar to the PCP, had its -CN group pointing away from the aqueous phase. The tilt angles of the -CN group for both the 35DMHBN and 26DMHBN molecules at the air/water interface were around 25°-45° from the interface normal. These results provided insights on the understanding of the detailed balance of the competing factors, such as solvation of the polar head groups, hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic effects, etc., on influencing the absolute molecular orientation at the air/water interface.
文摘The orientation angle is an important parameter that reflects the structure of molecules at interfaces. In order to obtain this parameter, second order nonlinear spectroscopic techniques including second harmonic generation （SHG） and sum frequency generation-vibrational spec- troscopy （SFG-VS） have been successfully applied through analysis of the nonlinear signal from various polarizations. In some SHG and SFG-VS experiments, total internal reflection （TIR） configuration has been adopted to get enhanced signals. However, the reports on the detailed procedure of the polarization analysis and the calculation of the orientation angle of interracial molecules under TIR configuration are still very few. In this paper, we mea- sured the orientation angles of two molecules at the hexadecane-water interface under TIR and Non-TIR experimental configurations. The results measured from polarization analysis in TIR configuration consist with those obtained from Non-TIR configuration. This work demonstrates the feasibility and accuracy of polarization analysis in the determination of the orientation angle of molecules at the interfaces under TIR-SHG configuration.
