 Self-assembled monolayer

A molecular layer formed through adsorption and lateral organization at a substrate. Anchoring groups, chain packing and exposed terminal chemistry jointly determine its properties. Hydroxyl-terminated alkanethiol films on gold provide a nonbiological example with controllable water wetting.

A self-assembled monolayer (SAM) is a structured layer of molecules that spontaneously organizes into a single molecular layer on a substrate. This phenomenon occurs when amphiphilic molecules, which have both hydrophilic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (water-repelling) parts, are placed in a solvent. The molecules align themselves in a specific orientation, forming a stable, ordered arrangement.