Layer-by-layer growth of oriented metal organic polymers on a functionalized organic surface

A metal-organic coordination polymer based on benzenetricarboxylic acid ligands and Zn(II) ions was grown on a COOH-terminated organic surface in a stepwise fashion. The deposited films were characterized using a number of surface analysis techniques, including X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. IR measurements show that the metal-organic coordination polymer grows in a layer-by-layer fashion and can be reversibly loaded with NH₃. The deposition is very selective and occurs only on COOH-terminated regions of an organic surface, as demonstrated by AFM measurements.